Hunter
by Stephen King Reincarnated
Summary: Semi-Crossover with Supernatural. Bella Colt lives to protect people from the supernatural, but after dying and being brought back to life, her mother sends her to Forks. The most boring town in America is about to get a whole lot more interesting.
1. Bell Breaks Loose

Hunter

Hi everybody! (Hi, Doctor Nick!)

Just kidding. My name is Stephen King Reincarnated for those of you who haven't read any of my stories, but you can call me King. I'm seventeen and obsessed with Twilight and Supernatural. I've read at least half a dozen Twilight/Supernatural crossovers, (my favourite being 'Not As It Seems' by princessangel396), but I have a different idea on how to entwine them.

I'll apologize ahead of time; the boys will _not _be in this story. I am so sorry, but they would only distract the female readers.

For those of you who read the summary for this story in my other story, Firestarter, I have made some changes over the past few months. These changes are mainly; when Bella made her deal with the Crossroad Demon, Charlie is not alive, and Bella does not possess powers from hell. There are a few other changes as well, but I'll go into that later.

It's been a pleasure speaking to you. Enjoy the first chapter of Hunter.

-

? POV

March 13, 1993.

This one was different. Her eyes, piercing and deep brown stared up at me accusingly from her crib. I could sense the power inside of her. It filled me with the first stirrings of warning. I'd learned over the centuries to trust in my feelings, but this child was perfect.

A faint noise alerted me that I was not alone. "Charlie?" a young woman's voice questioned. "Is she hungry?"

My face was hidden. She couldn't see my eyes; otherwise, the former Hunter would not have mistaken me for her innocent husband. "Shhhh!" I hissed.

The girl was too tired to care. "Okay," she said quietly. I sensed her as she went downstairs and knew I didn't have much time before she discovered her husband in front of the television.

I cut open my wrist and my blood dripped onto the child's face. Her mouth opened and her pink tongue flicked out, tasting the liquid. Her face scrunched up and she gave me an angry look. It almost made me laugh. The power I sensed inside of her seemed to grow. It floated around her like a black haze before vanishing back inside of her. Yes, she was perfect. She was much more powerful than the others were. But, this was to be expected. She was a Colt after all.

"Bella!" Her mother, Renée was coming. That was my cue. I disappeared, watching from a distance as the Hunter lifted up the six-month-old girl. Bella made a cooing sound as she recognized her mother.

The panicked Hunter took her baby into another room and I decided it was time to leave.

Bella's POV

March 13, 2010.

I woke up screaming. My hands went in front of my face to block an expected blow only to smack into something hard. My screams stopped and I ran my hands over the obstacle. It was wood. My hands stretched to the sides to find more wood. I was trapped. Oh, dear God, I'm in a coffin!

My breathing sped up as I began to panic. "Mom!" I tried to call, but my voice was soft and my throat was raw and sore.

_Calm down, soldier!_

Immediately, I relaxed. Renée's voice soothed the panic. I couldn't do anything if I was freaking out. My hand went to my leather jacket's pocket and I found what I was looking for. I flicked on my lighter and the pale light was such a relief. I hated the dark.

I held the flame away from the wood. My eyes widened as I realized I was completely screwed. Renée had never prepared me for this. She'd taught me how to escape from locked rooms and how to untie rope from my hands, but she'd never gotten around to the whole, buried alive thing.

I swore. I'm a Hunter for god's sake. A Colt for that matter. Colt, like the gun…like the weapon! My right hand went to the back pocket of my jeans and I almost started crying with laughter. My knife, my perfect, wonderful, beautiful knife rested inside my back pocket.

I pulled it out and almost kissed the curved blade. It was small but deadly. It folded up and rested neatly in my jean pockets without being too obvious. My blood was still caked on it from earlier. It was dried and fading; not at all something you'd expect. Blood tended to evaporate pretty quickly. That was strange. It must have happened years ago. Time certainly seemed to be passing quickly down in-

I cut myself off. Now was not the time for that. I took a deep breath, put my lighter out and stabbed through the coffin's ceiling. Dirt, rocks, and bugs poured in, but I was ready. I crawled through it all, my eyes closed. I clawed at the dirt and finally my hand reached the surface. I dragged myself out, gasping in beautiful air. I stood up and looked around.

Goddamn it. My grave was unmarked, but that wasn't what freaked me out.

The trees. Every tree around my unmarked grave had collapsed away from me. It was like some freaky crop circle. I shook my head. This was a really stressful day.

I spotted a road and began heading down it. Maybe somebody in a hover-car would take pity on me and give me a ride. Was anyone I knew even alive anymore?

I kept walking, and half an hour later I found a store. I didn't have any money, but maybe they'd let me use the bathroom. A car was parked outside. It looked like an old, beat up Sentra, probably from 1985. It was nothing like Renee's Impala.

The bell chimed as I entered. I looked behind the counter. No one was there.

"Hello!" I was painfully aware that my voice sounded like someone had poured Clorox down my throat.

Nobody answered. I grabbed a few bottles of water and went to the bathroom. I was washing my hands, leaving a coating of dirt in the sink, when I saw my arms. The scars I'd accumulated over the last four years were gone. I pulled up my shirt, (the shirt I'd been wearing when the hellhounds attacked had been replaced with my black and blue ACDC shirt), checked out my stomach, and then turned around. I let out a sigh of relief when I saw my tattoo. It was a Devil's Trap. You get a demon stuck in one, and it's like a satanic roach motel. It also kept you from getting possessed. In my line of business, that was a must.

I spotted a newspaper on the counter. The date made me freeze. March 13, 2010. Good God. I was only down there for four months? This was actually good news though. It meant there was a good chance that Renée was still alive.

I grabbed a bag of M&Ms and some beef jerky on the way out. Sue me! I was hungry. I downed an entire bottle of water. Apparently, hell makes you thirsty. As an afterthought, I shimmied the cash register open with my knife and grabbed a handful of twenties. I'd need the gas money. I hotwired the old Sentra and took off towards Bobby's salvage yard. He was practically my uncle. He'd help me figure this all out. If I hurried, I'd give him the most memorable night ever.

-

Bobby Singer's Salvage Yard was a dump, but I loved it. Bobby used to let me help him fix cars when I stayed with him. Renée couldn't always find a place for me when she went Hunting. Bobby was one of her closest friends. He loved me, but the last time I'd seen him speak to Renée, he had her at gunpoint and told her that if she ever went near his house again he'd shoot her full of buckshot. I could remember him showing me how to write out my homework in Japanese. Bobby always said I was a smart kid. He also said I had a smart mouth, but that was partially his fault.

It was dark by the time I drove up to his house. South Dakota weather was still pretty chilly in March. I huddled in my leather jacket and stuffed my hands into my pockets. Rumsfeld, Bobby's German Shepherd, marched up to me and sniffed my hand. He sat down and wagged his tail back and forth. I pulled out a slice of beef jerky from my pocket and gave it to him. Rumsfeld wolfed it down in two bites.

"Well, well, you'd think you were starving or something, buddy. Where's Bobby? Go get Bobby!" My voice became high and excited. Rumsfeld barked loudly and ran to the door. He whimpered and scratched at the door.

"Rumsfeld!" Bobby's rough voice rang out. He opened the door and leaned outside. "What're you barking…?" He trailed off as he spotted me. His eyes widened comically.

"Hey, Bobby," I said, smiling.

"No," Bobby whispered. My face fell as he backed away. "You can't be here. I've got protection symbols everywhere!"

Oh, I'm such an idiot! I've been dead! In hell! I'm practically a walking corpse.

I held up my hands. "I'm not a demon, I swear! I'm still me, see!" I pulled out a bottle of water and rolled it over to him. "Go ahead, bless it. I'll down the whole thing."

Bobby picked up the bottle and stared at me. He pulled out a cross from underneath his shirt and began to mumble a quick blessing. Once he was sure the water was holy enough, he rolled it back to me. I saw him reach for his knife. I knew that if something went wrong, I'd be screwed. I picked up the bottle and unscrewed the cap. I held it up to my lips and took a gulp. When I didn't immediately spit it out, screaming that it burned, Bobby relaxed.

"See?" I asked. "I'm still human."

"Yeah," Bobby agreed. "But, how are you out? I saw your body, Bella. You were as dead as disco."

I looked down at my hands. "I have no idea. I woke up in a pine box this afternoon. I climbed out and found this gas station, stole some money and a car…oh, and food. Do you have anything to eat? I've only had some M&Ms and beef jerky. I'm starving."

"Of course." Bobby ushered me in. I saw him breathe a sigh of relief when I walked right under a Devil's Trap without getting stuck. He made me sit on the couch and went to the kitchen. I heard him rummage through the fridge before he put something in the microwave. I heard him open a cupboard and set something down on the counter.

As I waited, I looked around his living room. There were books and protection symbols scattered all around. At least three coffee cups sat on his coffee table. I leaned over and realized he'd been researching. I turned the pages of one of his books. It was in Latin. As I read, I realized he'd been trying to find a way to summon a spirit. I looked in the coffee table's drawer and found a Ouija board.

"A-hem," Bobby interrupted roughly. I looked up, guilty. He rolled his eyes and held out a bag of French fries.

"Thanks," I said. I took the bag and stuffed a handful of fries into my mouth. "Oh my _god_! This tastes like deep-fried crack!" I grabbed another handful and kept stuffing my face. They were a little too salty…

Oh, right. Demons didn't like salt either.

I gave Bobby an, "I know what you're doing" smile and finished eating.

"Bobby, where's Renée?"

Bobby wrinkled his nose and sat down next to me. He grunted. "You're not going to like it."

I panicked. "She's okay, right?"

He patted my shoulder soothingly. "Of course she's alright. She's Renée Colt." I gave him a little half-smile. "It's just…when she found you after…she was just so guilty. She got herself involved with someone she saved and she's been Hunting with him. His name's Phil. Let me say this straight; he's pathetic. He's not cut out for this life."

"Is anyone?" I asked. I didn't allow myself to feel guilty. I'd done the right thing.

"You Colts seem to be. I mean, Hunting at age thirteen? I thought Renée was off her rocker, but you are one amazing kid."

"I know," I said, smirking. Bobby gave me a warning look that told me to smarten up otherwise I'd be smartin'.

"So, where is she?" I asked again.

Bobby leaned back and sighed. "Last I checked; she was wandering around in Kansas, looking for that psychic, Missouri. But if I had to wager a guess, I'd check out Phoenix, Arizona. You might want to call ahead this time. Renée still shoots first."

-

I managed to make it to Phoenix in under a day. I was exhausted. Bobby had given me a new car, a white Cadillac Deville. The last thing I needed was to be picked up by the cops for car theft. Bobby promised to return it to the gas station, but I'd bet my eyeteeth he chopped it up to sell the parts. It didn't matter to me.

I found a phone booth and searched for the yellow pages. I found the first one and called for information. "Hello, is there a Renée Antilles there?" I asked. I listened to the answer and smiled. "Great! Can you tell her that her daughter is coming to see her? Thank you."

I took a deep breath and drove over to the hotel. My hands felt so sweaty that I was afraid they would slip off the steering wheel. I pulled into the parking lot and almost cried as I spotted the Impala. I wanted to curl up in the backseat and sleep. I walked inside and saw her.

"Hi, mom," I whispered.

She looked awful. Renée never wore much makeup, but she'd always looked nice. We wore mostly second-hand clothing, but nothing too ripped or stained. I saw that her hair was greying and I was sure she hadn't had so many wrinkles around her eyes the last time I'd seen her.

Renée did something completely unexpected. She hugged me.

"Jeez, mom! No chick-flick moments!" I squirmed. Renée laughed. It sounded forced, but it was the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard.

"Let's go inside the hotel room. Bobby called; he said you passed the test. You're really back." I wondered if she was going to hug me again, but she just smiled and looked at me as if I was the most beautiful girl she'd ever seen. I wondered if _this_ was how she and Charlie had looked at me when I was a newborn baby.

Renée knocked on the door and gave a man, probably Phil, a password. We walked inside. I immediately scanned the room for threats. There were two guns, disassembled, on the table. A knife was tucked under the left pillow on the bed. If things got bad, I could swing up into the ventilation shaft just above Renée's head. The walls were covered in papers depicting a series of murders as well as information on whodunit. It felt like home.

"Woman in White?" I asked, noticing how the deaths seemed to have started after the deaths of two children and their mother. The WiW's MO was that she finds out her husband is cheating on her. In her grief, she kills her kids and, realizing what she's done, kills herself. Occasionally they come back and begin to kill adulterous men. There are some _sad _ghosts out there.

Renée smiled at me. "You haven't lost it," she commented.

I rolled my eyes. "Of _course _I haven't lost it; I'm Bella Colt, the second greatest Hunter in the whole, dang universe!" I tilted my head up and looked down my nose at Renée. She smacked the side of my head playfully.

"That you are. Bella, this is Phil," she said, pointing to a man wearing a jean jacket and green sweatpants.

I tried not to wince at his outfit. "Pleased to meet you Phil, hope you guess my name," I said, holding out my hand. Phil looked confused as Renée laughed.

"Yeah, you're you alright!" Renée said. She draped an arm over my shoulders and led me to the bed. "Do you remember what happened?" she asked.

Of course, Renée asked the question I'd been dreading. I told her as much of the truth as I could. I remembered going out that late November night and buying something to drink. I hung around at the park until the hellhounds came acallin' but by that time I was so drunk that I didn't even feel anything. Then, it was lights out until I woke up yesterday afternoon in a pine box.

"I dug myself out of my own grave! It was so cool! I was like The Bride from Kill Bill, only I used my knife instead of kung fu," I told her.

Renée seemed only too pleased to hear that I didn't remember anything from hell. I was glad I lied to her.

She looked away, suddenly anxious. "Bella, I need you to follow this one order for me, please?"

I nodded. Following orders was what I did best.

"I need you to stop Hunting."

I stared at her, not comprehending. Hunting was my life. I quit school at the age of thirteen to Hunt full-time with Renée. She couldn't tell me to give up everything I'd worked so hard for!

"Why?!" I demanded. I was questioning an order. I _never _questioned orders.

Renée sighed. "The other Hunters will hear about it. They'll know you came back, Bella. They'll be scared. You know how they feel; what's dead should stay dead."

I jumped to my feet. "This isn't _fair_!" I yelled. Yelling, questioning orders, I was on a roll with my teenage rebellion.

"I know!" Renée yelled back. "It's not fair that I was injured so badly that you had to sell your soul to save me! It's not fair that that red-eyed demon bitch made you swear you wouldn't tell anyone otherwise the deal was off! It's not fair that I've spent the last four months trying to find a way to get you out, and just when I think I can start to move on, you show up at my door and you're still _you_! I can't lose you again, Bella. You're going to live in Forks. You're going to finish high school! And you're never Hunting again!"

I shut my mouth. Renée gave me orders and like a perfect soldier, I would follow them. "Yes, ma'am," I answered.

-

Forks, Washington was my dad's hometown. Charlie died three years ago; heart attack. I always felt guilty that I couldn't spend more time with him.

Before he died, he took out a huge life insurance policy. He wanted me to have some money for the future if he died. I inherited over two hundred thousand dollars at the age of fourteen. Renée told me that the money was mine. She wouldn't borrow any from me. Now, I was glad for it. It meant I wouldn't have to get a real job to pay the bills.

If there was one awesome thing about this whole ugly mess, it was Renée's car.

No…_my car_.

I turned up the stereo as ACDC blasted through the speakers. "Don't try to push your luck! Just get out of my way! 'Cause I'm back! Yes, I'm back! Well I'm…ba-ha-ha-ha-ack, ba-ha-ha-ha-ack! Well I'm back in black! Yes, I'm back in bla-ack!"

Renée's 1967 Chevy Impala was _mine. _I'd grown up in this car. I'd spent more hours sleeping in the backseat than I had in a bed. Renée had taught me how to do my times tables while in this car. I'd read the entire works of Shakespeare while in this car. I could pick out the grumble of its engine from three blocks away. It was sleek and black and _mine_!

The other parts of this order sucked. I had to live alone until I graduated. I had to get good grades so that I could go to college. I had to get a real job and never do anything related to Hunting again. Basically, I had to play normal.

Nothing could be more humiliating for a Hunter.

I pulled into the driveway of my new house. Charlie's place had the feeling of being about to fall apart, but I knew from experience that it was tough. The white paint was peeling and a few of the windows and doors needed oiling, but I knew how to take care of it. Renée made sure I knew what to do.

My story was that after Renée remarried, I decided I wanted to finish high school without having to move around. I'd been home schooled for most of my life. Phil was a minor league baseball player. He wasn't big enough to be noticed by any sports teams, but he still needed to move around every couple of weeks. I felt that staying in Forks until I graduated would help me with my _socialization_, (ew) and help me get into a good college, (double ew).

School would have to wait. I needed to ghost-proof the house. I took out my two duffle bags from out of the trunk of my car and went inside. The house was equipped with my basic furniture needs. I didn't watch very much television anymore, but it seemed rude to sell it. My laptop, a gift from the credit card companies that we screwed over on a daily basis, went in my bedroom.

My bedroom was all right. I wasn't planning on spending any money on prettying it up. It had the essentials, a bed, desk, bookshelf and even a rocking chair. I hung my clothes up in the closet. I'd need to go shopping for some new clothes soon. Jeans were crucial, as well as layers of shirts. The layers were to keep me from losing too much skin off my arms if a ghost threw me across the asphalt or something. I'd learned that lesson the hard way. Besides, it was cold in Forks.

I stacked the books I'd brought on the bookshelf. I'd organize them later. I opened up my other duffle bag and got down to business. I pulled out my Electromagnetic field meter, (EMF). It was sensitive to the magnetic activity that ghosts sometimes gave off. It's standard equipment for ghost hunting. Fortunately, the house was clean. I tucked it back into my duffle bag and grabbed a couple big bags of salt.

Salt is a pure element. Demons, vengeful spirits, as well as all sorts of nasty things can't cross over a line of salt. I set about putting down the salt lines at every window and door. I used duct tape to make sure that the lines wouldn't be disturbed. Afterwards, I drew a few protection symbols, (pentagrams; a five-pointed star) on the doors and windows.

There was one final thing I had to do. I stood on my bed and grabbed a permanent marker. I drew a circle on the ceiling. It was two feet in circumference. I drew a six-point star inside of it and made another circle inside of that. I switched the marker to my left hand and began to draw the most difficult part of the design. I sketched out a left-facing scorpion inside the smaller circle. Its tail curled around it protectively and its pincers were held out in front of it aggressively. This was a Devil's Trap. It matched the one that Renée tattooed on my back.

This was probably overkill, but it's not paranoia if something's really out to get you.

You don't walk out of hell without someone noticing.

The house was secure, my story was perfect, and I was starving. I searched through my duffle bag for something to eat. I pulled out a half-eaten bag of M&Ms and poured the remainder of the candies into my mouth. I would go shopping after school tomorrow. I had a box of Lucky Charms for breakfast. I didn't have any milk, but luckily, I had dishes and cutlery.

I decided to use my smaller duffle bag instead of a backpack. I stuffed it with my notebooks and a few other items. I'd need some salt, holy water, and my journal.

The Colts had a history of writing journals. My family had been Hunting for over six-hundred-fifty years. Our journals were probably the most important things we owned. They gave us information on everything to do with the supernatural. I'd started one at the age of thirteen. I wrote about my Hunts. Keeping a journal kept me focussed and informed. My journal was written in English, although most of my ancestors wrote theirs in Latin.

Just to put a little spin on it, I pulled a Da Vinci and wrote my entries in reverse. Da Vinci was famous for writing backwards. It may have been because he was left-handed. People back then were forced to write with their right hand. It might have felt more natural for him. I was ambidextrous. I could write with both hands. I could also shoot with both hands, and punch with both hands. This was an important job skill for me.

I grabbed a pencil and opened my journal. The first entry was a poem I'd read somewhere;

_Be wary of the dark._

_Trust in what you feel._

_For evil does exist._

_And monsters can be real._

I turned to a fresh page and began to write.

_Tues. March 16, 2010._

_Three days ago, I climbed out of my own grave…_

_-_

This seems like a good place to stop. I'm sorry if it was boring. I needed to set the stage and to give you guys the background information.

Cookies for anyone who can find the classic rock reference.

I'll catch you later.


	2. High School

Hunter

I want to clear up a few misunderstandings about this. I'm so sorry if you're feeling confused. I was going to make this into a crossover between Twilight and Supernatural, but I decided not to make it a complete crossover. I'll explain a bit about the show, Supernatural so don't worry about that. Please be patient.

Lynxgoddess gets a cookie for spotting the Rolling Stones reference. "Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name." I freaking love that song!

On a different note, does anyone know what's going on with the "In The Dark" contest? I heard they were going to post the results weeks ago. My mom is driving me nuts because she thinks it's a hoax.

Oh, and do you remember that poem from the first chapter? I got it from a Supernatural video on you tube, but I can't seem to find it. Does anyone know which one it is? Thanks.

-

Bella's POV

Do you remember when you were a little kid? The dark was a scary place, wasn't it? It didn't matter how many times your parents told you there was nothing to be afraid of; you _knew _something was waiting for you, creeping along in the darkest corners of your room, especially under the bed.

Guess what, you were right.

-

I woke up screaming. I was glad the house was empty. I was loud enough to wake the dead; pun totally intended.

I raced to the bathroom and leaned over the toilet, gagging. Images and sounds filtered through my head.

(A sharp knife glinting in the dark-light)

(The rattling as the hooks and chains dug into my skin)

(The _burning_)

I panted. "Stop it!" I closed my eyes. I pictured Renée's face. She smiled happily at me. She was alive…not in a hospital bed…nobody was telling me that she might not make it through the night…the social worker wasn't talking about foster care…

My head hurt. The pain centered on my left eyebrow. I tried massaging my temples as I headed back into my bedroom. My alarm clock read 4:46 a.m. I was kind of an insomniac. I couldn't remember the last time I'd slept for longer than four hours. I searched inside my duffle bag for my aspirin. I took two out and headed to the bathroom for some water to rinse them down.

I was still starving. If there was one good thing about getting out of hell, it was that food tasted _so _much better. I pulled out my Lucky Charms and finished the rest of the box. I stuffed a couple twenties into my duffle bag and left it by the door. I'd need to go to the store after school.

Ugh…school.

I'd never been a big fan of public schools. Not only was I too busy worrying about my mom, I was also bored to tears. Bobby was right when he said I was smart. I'd learned to read at the age of three. Renée made me her official researcher when I was five. It made me feel important that I could help her save lives.

I'd read newspaper articles and look up local legends at the library. At school, they'd make me put my books away so that I could learn my ABCs. And people wonder why some of our high school seniors can only read at the fifth grade level.

I dumped the empty box of cereal into the garbage and turned on the television. I actually had a few decent channels. I found a Simpsons rerun and prepared to do an hour-long workout.

Renée was very strict about staying in shape. When I was younger, we'd run a mile every morning. Renée never made me do anything she herself wouldn't do. It made me respect her a lot more than my out of shape Gym teachers. When Renée would leave me alone, sometimes for days at a time, I'd just find some cartoons and do a few exercises in front of the TV.

Once the show started, I began to do some sit-ups. I felt so energized. After doing two hundred and fifty, I switched to push-ups, the guy kind, not the pansy girl ones. By the time the ending music came on, I had done almost two hundred.

I still had plenty of time before I had to leave. I took a long shower and picked out two green, long-sleeved shirts and jeans. I ran a brush through my hair and let it hang down to my waist. At least I'd managed to get all the dirt out. I brushed my teeth and rinsed my mouth out. I still couldn't get the taste of sulphur out of my mouth.

I checked my watch. It wasn't even 7:00 yet. It wouldn't be good for my image if I showed up half and hour before everyone else. I wouldn't want them to think I cared or anything. I sighed and went back downstairs to watch some more TV.

After searching through the channels, I decided it would be best to show up a little early in case the principal wanted to talk to me about my schooling. Ugh.

I put on my leather jacket, grabbed my duffle bag and headed out to my car. I roared the engine and put on some Metallica. The soothing sound of James Hetfield's voice made the trip a little more bearable. I found the high school and parked near the entrance. Only a few other students were hanging out near the picnic benches. They were probably copying homework or something.

Ugh. Homework.

I grabbed my duffle bag and walked toward the school. There were no metal detectors. That was good. It meant I wouldn't have to leave my knife in the car.

"Hey, nice ride!" one of the kids called.

"I know!" I called back as I headed inside. The halls were deserted. I really was too early. I found a room labelled "Front Office" and went inside. I scanned the room quickly for threats. A red-haired woman with glasses looked up as I entered.

She smiled at me. "How may I help you, dear?"

I shrugged. "I'm new here. I figured I should pick up my schedule or something."

Her response was comical. Her eyes widened and she seemed to look me over as if she were studying an alien species. Her gazed focussed on my duffle bag and my leather jacket. "Of course, you must be Isabella Swan."

"Bella Colt," I corrected, cringing at my full name.

The woman frowned and shuffled through some papers. "It says here that your last name is Swan," she told me, holding out an admittance form.

I frowned and looked it over. "My last name is Colt, and everyone calls me Bella. Would you mind changing it, please?" I asked, remembering my manners.

"Actually," a man's voice interrupted us. "I was wondering if we might talk. My name is Principal Greene," he said, holding out his hand. I shook it, squeezing tightly as he assessed me. "Chilly?" he asked, noticing the layers of shirts I was wearing.

I nodded. "I just came from down south," I explained.

"Of course," he responded. "Would you mind stepping into the councillor's office with me? I'd like to discuss some things with you."

"Sure," I said. I followed him into the councillor's office and sat down on one of the chairs. My eyes scanned the room automatically. There was a camera in the far corner. The window was shut, but not bolted. The ventilation shaft was directly over the desk. I'd have easy access to it if something went wrong. Other than that, the room had pasty white walls and little cartoons pinned up. There was one with a cat hanging off a tree that said, "Hang in there". I tried not to barf.

The councillor was a normal-looking guy. He had a friendly, plain face and dark hair. He smiled at me and I smiled back, intent on acting normal.

"Hello, Isabella," he began.

"It's Bella," I corrected, smiling.

"Bella," he nodded. "I was wondering if you might tell me about why you were transferred here."

The principal gave me a strange look. His eyes kept searching my face, as if he was trying to see if I was going to lie.

I was, but come one, do you honestly think he was smart enough to catch on?

I leaned back and looked up. People look up when they're trying to recall something. "I thought it'd be a good idea to finish high school out here. Renée's been pretty busy with her new husband, so she hasn't had much time to work with me on my education. Charlie left me his house, and a good deal of money. I think he'd appreciate it if I spent some time at a real school."

"Did you miss school?" the councillor asked. I checked his nameplate. It said Mr. Landon.

"Look, Mr. Landon, I'll be honest with you," I said, leaning forward. "I really hated school."

"Was the work too difficult?" he asked.

I threw my head back and laughed. This startled them. I shook my head. "No way, it was too easy! Renée was always telling me to read and stuff. By the time I quit, I was so far ahead of the curriculum; I was just wasting my time."

Landon hmmed and leaned away. He kept his eyes locked on mine. I waited for him to say something. He seemed to get uncomfortable with my silence because he looked away. "Well, since you've been out of school for so long, I feel you should take an entrance exam so that we know what classes should be open to you."

I stood up. "When do I start?"

Greene looked wary. "Would you like to use the morning to study? The test is very difficult."

I waved my hand. "I'll be fine. How long will this take?"

Landon said, "The time limit is three hours. It's unlikely that you'll finish them all, but do your best. We can get you settled into your classes after lunch."

"Sure," I said. They led me into a room with several desks. I figured that was where they kept the in-school suspended kids. Mr. Landon gave me a thick stack of papers and told me to do as much as I could. I checked out the room and spotted another camera. I hoped there weren't a lot of those around. I set my bag down at my feet and began writing.

The questions were pathetically easy. Once I finished, I stretched. My shoulders and knuckles popped loudly as they loosened up. I stacked the papers neatly and checked how much time was left. I still had over an hour.

Great.

I grabbed the test and walked into the councillor's office. Landon looked up as I approached. "Do you need some help?" he asked.

"I'm finished," I said.

I had the satisfaction of watching his eyes bug out and his jaw drop. I stifled a giggle and held out the test. He grabbed it and began flipping through it. His eyes scanned the answers as he pulled out an answer key from his desk drawer. He kept looking back and forth, disbelief clear in his eyes.

"You've never seen this test before?" he asked. I shook my head. "And no one helped you?"

I tried not to roll my eyes at him. "I was in an empty room. The camera was on me the whole time. Maybe your tests aren't as hard as you thought. Are you sure you gave me the one for eleventh grade?"

He nodded absently, still staring at the answers. "All of these are right," he whispered. Awe was clear in his voice.

"I would certainly hope so. It would be embarrassing if I couldn't do something as easy as that." Landon gave me a stunned look and I smirked at him.

He seemed to snap out of his daze and began searching his computer. "We have a few AP courses that are right up your alley. English and Gym are mandatory for all four years, so that's two. We have Calculus and Biology. How about those?" I shrugged. He nodded. "Right, so that's four. What do you enjoy?"

"Art," I said. "I'm good at drawing."

"Okay, we have an opening in Ms. Ackley's Art class. Anything else?"

I leaned in and studied the courses. "What's this?" I asked, pointing at a course labelled, "Supernatural".

Landon seemed embarrassed. "It's just something we thought would get kids interested in history and culture. It's mostly about psychic phenomena and supernatural explanations for strange occurrences."

I leaned away. "Sign me up, I love stuff like that."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "We have some more…useful courses."

I almost laughed in his face. It was true, I probably wouldn't learn anything that I didn't already know, but still, it would at least keep me from dying of boredom.

Landon reluctantly signed me up and printed off my class schedule. I read it over. 8:00-8:55 a.m. was English with Mr. Mason, 9:00-9:55, Art with Ms. Ackley, 10:00-10:55, Calculus with Mr. Varner, 11:00-11:55, Gym with Coach Clapp, then it was lunch until 1:00 p.m. when I had Biology with Mr. Molina and at 2:00, I had my coolest class with Mr. Banner.

"Sweet," I said, taking the schedule from him and stuffing it into my pocket. "Thanks, Mr. L, I'll catch you later." I turned around, intent on making it to Calculus, when he called me back.

"I just have one thing to ask you about. It's very important."

I sat down. Landon leaned forward. He folded his hands in his lap and looked at me, trying to gauge my expression. "I need to know if there was ever any…abuse in your home."

I gave him my "what the hell?" look and shook my head. "Why would you think that?"

He pulled out several sheets of paper. "This is a list of all the times you've been hospitalized for injuries. It's obviously much longer than an average teenager's should be. If there was anything going on between you and your mother…I mean…she was very young when she had you and this can cause a lot of stress on a single parent, not to mention her own background-"

"Whoa, whoa!" I held up my hands. "Renée never laid a hand on me. And what do you mean "her background?" Renée had great parents. Sure, we moved around a lot, and I got into a lot of fights, you know? We never had much money and some kids thought it was funny to pick on me. Trust me; the other guys looked a _lot _worse when I was through with them. Honestly, Renée's a good parent."

Landon didn't look convinced. "Well, if you ever need to talk about something…"

I covered my ears with my hands. "Dude, no chick-flick moments! Did you drink an oestrogen cocktail this morning or something?"

My outburst had the desired effect, Landon felt so embarrassed that he let me go free. I headed out into the hallway in search of my Calculus class. I still had five minutes, but I didn't know the layout of the school very well. I managed to locate the classroom and hung around outside until the bell rang. As the students came out of their classrooms, they stared openly at me. I cringed and headed in to class. I scanned the room for immediate threats. The most dangerous weapon seemed to be the stapler on the teacher's desk. There were three large windows that I could easily climb out of. The ventilation shaft would be harder to get to.

Mr. Varner was one of those teachers who thought he was smarter than everyone else was. I took an instant dislike to him as his beady hazel eyes looked up at me from behind his thick glasses. He frowned at my attire and my duffle bag. I would have to remember to find my locker soon.

"Hello, I'm Bella Colt. Mr. Landon just finished assigning my classes." I held out my schedule for him to see. He lifted his glasses and squinted at it. He frowned heavily as he finished.

"You're taking that ghastly supernatural course?" he asked.

It took all of my willpower not to smash his teeth in. Luckily, the room began to fill with students. There were too many witnesses. I smiled a predatory smile, the one I'd used when I'd taken that knife off the table and used it to carve-

I quickly cut off that train of thought. "I like knowing everyone's opinions about controversial things."

Varner sneered at me. Oh yes, he was _so _lucky there were witnesses. "Fair enough. I hope you don't have too much trouble with this class."

"I won't," I said stiffly.

Varner looked at the door as the bell rang. A few students tried to slip in. "Late slips," he told them. The students looked down and trudged out of the room sulkily.

"Asshole," I muttered, too low for him to hear.

Varner stood up and addressed the class. "We have a new student with us today. Miss Colt, would you be so kind as to tell us something about yourself."

I knew my standard answer of "No, thank you" wouldn't work on this guy. It would just make me look weak. So, I turned around and leaned up against his desk. "Hey guys, my name's Isabella Colt, but everyone calls me Bella."

There were a few muttered replies of, "Hey, Bella."

I laughed. "Well, looks like some of you have been to the meetings."

There were a few bursts of laughter as they recognized the AA meeting reference.

I continued. "Varner here thinks I might have some trouble with this class. Honestly, the only reason I'm here is because Landon couldn't find anything more difficult." More students started laughing. The late slip kids looked confused as they returned. Apparently, there wasn't much laughter in Varnerland.

I looked back in time to see Varner's face turn bright red and for him to start sputtering. "Save your breath dude, you're going to need it to blow up your date tonight."

The laughter turned to hysteria. Varner held up his hands to try to quiet the students. Of course, it didn't work. I took a seat next to an Asian boy with acne and pulled out my notebook. I folded my hands on my desk and sat there looking like an angel.

Varner sputtered out an order to do the work on pages 74-78 and marched out.

"I'm Eric," the boy next to me said.

I held out my hand. "Pleased to meet you Eric, hope you guess my name."

Eric shook my hand, but I could tell he was confused. "I'll grab you a textbook," he said. He walked to the back of the room and took out a large, blue book.

"Thanks," I said, taking it from him. I opened the book to the correct page and started on the assignment. It was something on the Taylor Series. I remembered reading about that in sixth grade. It is a representation of a function as an infinite sum of terms calculated from the values of its derivatives at a single point.

Did you get that?

I finished quickly and leaned back in my chair. I started counting the dots on the ceiling tiles and was almost at a hundred when Eric interrupted me.

"You're finished already?" he asked, bewildered.

"Yeah," I answered. I saw his shocked face. "I was home-schooled. I had a lot of time on my hands."

He leaned in closer to me, interested. "You were home-schooled?" he asked.

I shrugged. "My mom and I moved around a lot. It was easier," I explained.

"Huh," Eric grunted. The bell rang and I quickly gathered up my things. I checked my class schedule and found where my locker was. I decided I would put my stuff away at lunch. I had gym.

I loved gym.

I found the locker room and headed inside to talk to the coach. Coach Clapp was one of those out of shape teachers. Why was it they tried to preach what they didn't practice? He found me a uniform and I changed in the bathroom. The last thing I needed was questions about my tattoo.

We were playing volleyball. George Carlin once said that volleyball was nothing but racketless team ping-pong played with an inflated ball and a raised net while standing on the table. I couldn't argue with that.

Clapp didn't give me any crap about introductions. He divided the students into even teams and we set about trying to hit our opponents on the head with an inflated ball…or at least I did.

As class ended, a blond boy walked over to me. "Hi, I'm Mike Newton. You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?"

"Bella Colt," I corrected shaking his hand. He smiled one of those smiles that would make a normal teenage girl melt. I scanned him for weapons.

A girl from my team rushed over to us. "She's pretty good, huh?" She had her blond hair pulled back into a ponytail. "I'm Jessica."

"Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name," I said, shaking her hand.

She giggled. "What?"

I shook my head. "Nothing, it's an inside joke." The corner of my mouth tilted up.

"I heard what you did in Mr. Varner's class. I've never seen him so furious in my life." She giggled again.

"That was you?" Mike asked. His eyes became star struck.

I flipped my hair back. "Who else? He ticked me off. I don't like it when people insult me."

"Awesome," Mike breathed.

Jessica noticed the way he was looking at me. I saw a flash of jealousy on her face before she smiled at me. "You should totally sit with me and my friends at lunch. It'll be great."

"Great," I repeated.

After all, what was the worst that could happen?

-

I got the day off school today. My mom needed me to stay home. She just had an operation. She feels like crap right now. I have to go change her bandages.

On a high note, I'm going to be eighteen on December 26th!

Happy holidays!

I'll catch you later.


	3. The Cullens

Hunter

Rubberduck697, thanks for the information on the Calculus thing. I honestly just looked it up on Wikipedia. I'm bad at math. English and science are more my things.

Thanks everyone for the support for my mom. They gave her some super painkillers, but they're making her sick.

I can't believe I forgot to do a disclaimer. I'm sorry. I don't own anything you recognize, just this awesome plot.

-

Bella's POV

I managed to find my locker and dumped my bag inside. Mike's locker was just down the hall and he made a big show of escorting me to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was okay. There were the regular additions of flags and sports ribbons on the walls. I was now a Spartan. Yay! Somebody get me a loincloth.

I checked for exits; there were over half a dozen windows and a set of large glass doors at the other side of the room. There weren't any cameras, thank god.

It was set up so that you could serve yourself at a buffet-style area. Mike led me to it and pointed out anything that was considered edible. I remembered stuffing my face with stale Lucky Charms earlier. I was still so hungry. I piled a large salad and French fries onto my tray and sat down at Mike's table. Jessica ushered another girl over to us and sat down.

"Hey, Bella, this is Angela," she said indicating a pretty brunette with glasses.

Angela wore a purple sweater, but what caught my eye was the pentagram hanging around her neck. Her manner was kind, if a little meek. She smiled pleasantly at me.

"So, Bella, what classes are you taking?" Jessica asked.

I pulled my schedule out and handed it to her. She smiled eagerly. "Great, we have Art together as well!" Her happiness diminished somewhat as she continued reading. "Wow, these are hard courses. Why are you taking that stupid Supernatural class?"

Angela looked up as she heard that. She seemed to be listening much more intently at the mention of my last class.

I weighed my answer carefully. "I like learning about strange things. You know, the unexplainable? It's interesting how people used to explain sudden illness or suspicious accidents in the past."

"Mr. Banner will like you," Angela said. "I'm in the same class." She pointed to her pentagram. "My dad's a minister. I thought it'd freak him out if he thought I was getting involved in devil-worship or something."

I laughed. "You might want to read up a little more. A pentagram is a symbol of protection. The Crucifix on the other hand," I suddenly felt like a teacher lecturing a student. "That name comes from the Latin word, '_Cruciare_' which means, '_to torture_'. Crucifixion is described as one of the most painful tortures human beings have ever created. Kind of puts a menacing overtone on the whole Cross thing, doesn't it?"

It occurred to me that discussing torture over lunch was probably not the best way to seem normal, but Angela seemed fascinated by my knowledge.

I stuffed some of my fries into my mouth before I could start lecturing on how to drill the nails in properly if you want to have a good, long, painful crucifixion. I was pretty sure that had happened to me at least…

The fries suddenly tasted like cardboard as I thought about the reason for why I was stuck in this stupid town. I'd screwed up, big-time. My mother was insane with grief and guilt, and my old Hunting buddies probably wanted to send me right back to hell.

Jessica quickly changed the subject to boys, and I listened like a good girl.

"Hey, speaking of boys, do you want to go to a movie with me, Bella?" Mike asked.

The invitation caught me off guard. "What?" I threw a desperate glance at Jessica and found that she was glaring at me. "Sorry, dude. I don't date. You should ask Jessica," I told him eagerly. "You guys would make such a cute couple."

Jessica's glare disappeared as she realized I wasn't trying to make a move on her man. Mike seemed a little disoriented when I pushed him next to her.

"Hey, Mikey!" a boy said from behind me. To my complete astonishment and disgust, the boy planted a kiss on my cheek and pulled Mike's chair out from under him. "Quick hogging the new girl!" he yelled. Mike made a desperate dive to catch him as he took off, but he was too slow.

I wasn't.

I jumped out of my seat and grabbed his shirt, twisting him around sending him sprawling onto the table. I grabbed his right arm and twisted it until I could hear his bones creak. The boy was of average build, with short, blond hair. I figured he'd been in my Gym class earlier.

"Do _not_ kiss me! Got it?" I ordered, giving his arm another twist. The boy uttered a yelp of pain and nodded furiously. I let him go and pushed him away in a huff. "God, I _hate _it when guys do that!" I stated, digging into my fries again.

I realized that the entire cafeteria was gawking at me. "What?" I asked, somewhat confused. Slowly, the students began to turn away.

"What was _that_?" Mike asked in disbelief.

"_That _was the result of seventeen years of self-defence training."

"It wasn't that big a deal, was it?" Jessica asked.

I snorted. "He kissed me without permission. That's sexual assault, dudes," I explained. "He's lucky I didn't break his arm."

Angela furrowed her brow, but no one seemed to want to continue talking. I searched for something to ease the tension.

That was when I spotted them.

"Who are they?" I asked.

Jessica seemed to snap out of her funk and looked back. Her eyes lit up and my previous actions were suddenly wiped from her memory. I was now the receiver of her gossip. "They're the Cullens."

Oh, well _that_ certainly cleared everything up.

Luckily, Angela elaborated. "They're Dr. and Mrs. Cullens' foster kids. They just moved down from Alaska, like, two years ago. They like to keep to themselves."

"Because all together," Jessica butted in. "Like, together-together. Emmett and Rosalie," She pointed at a blond girl and a tall, dark-haired boy, "Jasper and Alice," I turned my attention to the door as a short, dark-haired girl and a tall, blond boy came inside.

"I'm not even sure that's legal," Mike said.

"They aren't related," Angela told him.

"But they _live_ together," Jessica whispered as Rosalie and Emmett passed our table.

It must have been my imagination, but I could've sworn Emmett grinned a little wider when Jessica spoke.

"Dr. Cullen's like this foster-dad slash matchmaker," Jessica continued.

I wasn't paying attention. The final Cullen walked into the room. I studied him closely as he walked behind his siblings. He didn't seem nearly as happy as the others did.

"Who's he?" I asked.

Jessica looked reluctant to answer. "That's Edward Cullen. He's totally gorgeous, obviously, but apparently nobody here is good enough for him."

I sighed. "When did he turn you down?" I asked.

Jessica looked alarmed. "I didn't say that!" she protested.

I leaned forward. "Don't sweat it. Luckily, you're completely over him because Mike is taking you to see a movie."

"I-I didn't exactly-" Mike began to disagree.

I cut him off with a kick to his shin, making sure I didn't hurt him too badly. I was wearing my special shoes.

"R-right! A movie. You like romantic-comedies, right?" he asked, looking at Jessica.

I stopped paying attention and started eating again. My eyes drifted over to the Cullen's table. They seemed to have their own little ecosystems. The couples sat close to each other, while Edward…

…stared at me from across the room.

I gave him my sweetest smile and enjoyed his predictable, confused reaction. I considered blowing him a kiss just to see if he would fall out of his chair, when the bell rang.

"Great, back to purgatory," I muttered, gathering up my half-eaten lunch.

Once again, my imagination must have been running wild, because I was sure I saw Edward grin.

-

Edward's POV (for a change)

The new girl, Isabella Swan, or rather, Bella Colt, was on everyone's mind. I couldn't do much more to ignore the unbearable thoughts about her. Half the boys already thought they were in love with her. I snorted as I sat down with my family. Isabella had asked about us.

"When did he turn you down?" she asked after hearing Jessica Stanley's explanation.

Jessica sputtered a response, which the new girl ignored. She then tried to manipulate Mike Newton into taking the distasteful girl on a date. When Mike began to protest, she kicked him. I laughed quietly as I listened to his surprised thoughts. My family exchanged confused glances and stared at me. It had been a while since I'd laughed.

I looked over at the new girl…and realized I couldn't hear her thoughts.

The other children's thoughts rang out loud and clear in my head, but the new girl was silent. I narrowed my eyes, suddenly weary. My family depended on me to make sure none of the people we came into contact with had any suspicions.

Bella looked over at me and started as she saw me staring at her. Instead of quickly looking away, like a normal person would, she gave me a stunning smile. Her brown eyes were filled with humour. I felt confusion cross my face. She was clearly thinking _something_. I just couldn't hear it.

The bell rang, and she looked away. "Great, back to purgatory."

I couldn't help but grin at that, though I quickly wiped it off when she looked back at me suspiciously.

"Here's your schedule, Bella," Angela Weber said, handing her a piece of paper. "I'll see you last period. Mr. Banner is going to _love _you."

"I hope so," she answered. "I try to keep the number of teachers who hate my guts limited to one." The two girls exchanged grins as they headed to their respective classes.

I grabbed my backpack and walked to my next class.

Mr. Banner…wonderful. He taught that warped history class where the Supernatural was used to explain completely normal occurrences. Ridiculous.

I sat down at my desk and opened my notebook, trying to keep from sighing. Purgatory was the right word for high school. If there was a way to atone for my sins, surely this tedious activity counted.

I looked up as I heard her voice. Bella was correcting her last name for the teacher. She glanced my way and locked eyes with me. I thought I saw the start of another smile.

Then her scent hit me.

Bella's eyes widened as she looked at me. I was sure I looked nothing like the human I was masquerading as. Her hand went to her back pocket, and her eyes flicked over the room. She bit her lip and moved her hand onto the desk. The action might have spurred my curiosity, if I was capable of thinking anything else other than how good she smelt.

I shifted away as she sat down next to me and held my breath. The memory of her scent lingered in my nostrils and I struggled not to think about sinking my teeth into the pale, see-through skin to the hot, pulsing-

No!

I focussed on the bland lesson Mr. Molina was presenting. Bella sat stiffly in her seat. Her right hand kept clenching. Her pulse was so quick that I could see the blood rushing through the veins in her neck-

I jerked my head away and forced myself to think about Carlisle. He would be so disappointed in me. The other children in the room would see if I killed her. I would have to kill them all. I'd never killed innocents.

Why did she have to come here? I looked back at her, not with hunger, but with hatred. I caught her staring at me in confusion. She didn't look away, and I saw my face reflected in her beautiful brown eyes. I shifted even farther away from her and swallowed a mouthful of venom.

I wouldn't kill anyone! She couldn't make me!

I could resist for one hour. I stared at the clock, willing time to move faster. Bella stayed frozen in her seat. That confused look never left her face. I wondered what rumours she would spread about me. I wondered what I would do when the hour was up.

I could introduce myself, offer to walk her to her next class, then I could give her a _real_ lesson on the supernatural.

Would she come? Did I even want her to?

And where was Alice? Couldn't she see what I was going to do? Was I stronger than I thought?

I checked the clock and realized there was only five minutes until the bell. Five minutes, I could last that long.

Then what? What if she said no? She was smarter than the other humans here. She'd seen my real face. Could I last another hour? She would go home to that empty house. It would be the responsible thing to do. There would be no witnesses. No one else would have to die.

The bell rang and I darted out of the room. No one was paying attention to me, though. Their thoughts centered on the girl who was scheduled to die in an hour.

I hid in my car and waited.

-

Bella's POV

I made my way to my last class and sat down next to Angela. She smiled sweetly at me before turning her attention to Mr. Banner.

I tried to keep my mind on the lesson. It was on the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. My family was still living in Europe during that time period, so there was no way for us to save all those innocent girls. The real things are a lot worse. I hate witches. They're all spewing their bodily liquids everywhere. It's creepy. Hell, it's downright unsanitary! And the rabbits always get screwed in the deal, the poor little guys.

My mind kept drifting to _him_.

I remembered walking into the room and seeing him. I should have been scoping out the room for exits and weapons, but I was too distracted by him. There was this stupid stuffed owl sitting right behind him, and it was almost as if its wings were growing out of his back. My mom always told me that angels were watching over me, her little _Bella Angelo_. Beautiful Angel.

I started to smile at him, and suddenly he looked…not human. I realized for the first time that there was something wrong with him. His eyes were angry and black. My hand had instinctively gone for my knife, before I remembered that I was in a room full of witnesses. I didn't know what I was up against.

Was it possible that he wasn't human? He looked human enough, although sometimes monsters could take human form. Other than his eyes, skin, and bizarre beauty, he looked like an average teenage boy.

I sat next to him and waited for his next move. Other than him glaring at me every so often, he didn't make any move to hurt me, even though I could almost _taste _his desire to. Was he, like me, worried about witnesses? Did his kind only kill discretely?

The bell rang, signalling the end of my first day of school. I remembered I was supposed to go shopping and started for the door.

"Miss Colt?" Mr. Banner stopped me. "Would you mind taking the attendance down to the office?" he asked.

"Sure," I said, automatically taking the folder and leaving. I stopped at my locker and quickly grabbed my things before heading to the office.

I opened the door to find Edward Cullen arguing with the secretary. It took me three seconds to figure out that he was trying to get out of Biology. Why?

I couldn't think of any logical reason.

Edward suddenly paused and turned around slowly, glaring at me. I ducked my head and handed the attendance to Mrs. Cope, then I got the hell out of there.

I needed to look up his family. There was something not right about the Cullens. My stomach growled and I rethought my plans. First, I would go grocery shopping, then I would research the Cullens. Perhaps there had been some unexplained deaths in the area recently. I would have to be vigilant over the next few days. I would sleep with my gun under my pillow tonight. I never missed.

I got into my car, and watched as Edward Cullen climbed into the shiny, silver Volvo across the lot. His form was tense and stiff. I saw through the windows that his family was concerned. The littlest one, Alice, looked in my direction with a startled expression.

I started my car and turned the stereo up as loud as it could go. The action had the desired effect as everyone in the parking lot turned to look at me.

'_Hush little baby, don't say a word,_

_And never mind that noise you heard._

_It's just the beasts under your bed,_

_In your closet, in your head!'_

If they _were _concerned about witnesses, there was no way he could attack me with everyone staring at me. I pulled out of my parking space and floored it. I figured my best bet for finding a decent grocery store was to head to Port Angeles. It had nothing to do with wanting to be as far away from them as I could…at least, that's what I told myself.

I drove much faster than what was acceptable, but managed to make it to Port Angeles in just over 45 minutes. I cruised around for a few minutes, searching for a good-sized store. Finally, I found one. I parked near the end of the parking lot and grabbed the money I'd stuffed into my bag. I walked inside and quickly started going over what I would need to survive on for the next few days. I grabbed a shopping cart and started strolling down the aisles.

I was gathering my usual staples; eggs, bread, milk, cereal…when I heard a gunshot.

I reacted instinctively by dropping to the floor and moving away. I peeked through the shelves and spotted four men with handguns; Walther P99's if I wasn't mistaken. None of them had masks on. That wasn't good. It meant they would be nervous about people identifying them. Nervous criminals sometimes did stupid things, like offing seventeen-year-old girls.

I checked for exits and found that I was trapped. Okay, that sucked. The four men split up and I moved again. Luckily, the store was almost completely empty aside from me, a few stay at home moms, and the cashier, a girl not much older than me.

"Open the cash register!" one of the men ordered. I heard the sound of rattling keys and a_ ping_ as it opened. "Give me the money!" he ordered.

I checked my surroundings and realized I was in the cleaning supplies aisle. I crawled down the aisle searching for a weapon.

There!

I silently pulled down a bottle of oven cleaner. The label warned that it was dangerously corrosive. Thank you WHIMS. I popped open the lid and put on my black, leather gloves. I got to my feet and peeked around the edge of the aisle. There was one gunman watching the other customers. He had his gun aimed at one of the women. She was sobbing loudly. Even from a distance, I could see that the gunman was smiling. Asshole.

I ducked back into the aisle and knocked over a broom.

"Who's there?" the startled man asked.

I knocked over something else and waited. As expected, the gunman came around the corner. I grabbed his gun and twisted it, breaking his finger. He emitted a yelp and I blasted oven cleaner straight into his eyes. He released the gun and began clawing at his eyes, howling. I punched his throat and kneed him in the gut. Once he was down, I kicked him in the temple, knocking him out.

I quickly ran to the next aisle, keeping a tight grip on both the gun and the oven cleaner. If I played my cards right, I wouldn't have to shoot anyone. I found the next gunman in the frozen meat section. I grabbed his long hair and smashed his face into the metal railing, breaking his nose and knocking him out. I stuffed his gun into my belt. My knife was still hidden, folded up in my back pocket.

Once again, I darted away in search of the final two gunmen. I hid in another aisle. I smashed a glass jar of pickles and picked up the largest piece of glass. As expected, the third gunman came running. I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and sliced into his cheek. He howled and I grabbed his gun and twisted it, breaking his finger. I brought his face down onto my knee. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"What the hell is going on out there!" the last gunman yelled.

I grabbed the third man's gun and stuck it next to the other one. I sped down the aisle and ended up at the front of the store. The gunman wasn't there. I looked at the women, asking without words.

None of them had a chance to answer. I heard the distinct sound of a gun being cocked right behind me. The butt pressed into my lower back.

I raised my hands slowly. "Oh, god, please let that be a gun," I muttered.

"How the hell did a little girl like you take down my boys?" the gunman asked. I could hear the smile in his voice. He took one hand off his gun and tilted my face to the side. "You're a pretty little thing, aren't you? How about you come with me, babe?"

Okay, unless you're a very strong dude, preferably one with a crowbar within reach, you don't _ever _call me _babe._

I spun around and kneed the man right in his family jewels. Automatically, he dropped his gun and grabbed onto the throbbing area. I clasped my hands together and brought them down onto the top of his head. He crumbled to the ground, unconscious.

Immediately, I dropped the guns to the ground and dashed out of the store. I jumped into my car and took off. The last thing I needed was my picture in the Paper. I was just glad there weren't any cameras in that store.

I cruised around until my heart stopped pounding and found another store. I checked my face in the mirror and decided I didn't look like I just took out four armed men and went to finish my shopping.

-

Well, that was quick. I just started writing this chapter yesterday. Now I have to work on the next chapter for Wolverine. God, there's always something. Writing the fight scene was fun. I hope you enjoyed it. There's an important reason for it, though. You'll see that in a few chapters. Thanks for all the reviews.

I'll catch you later.


	4. Nightmares

Hunter

I'm officially eighteen! I bought a lottery ticket yesterday and some scratch tickets. I won two bucks on the first one I ever bought. Who da man? I da man.

Whenever I use any characters from Supernatural, don't be too nervous. The main focus is on Bella and the Cullens. I'm not going to bring in a whole bunch of characters just to annoy you all. The times I _do_ bring them in are for good reasons that contribute to the plot. Sorry if you hate them, I sometimes do too.

-

Bella's POV

My cell phone woke me up. I realized I'd passed out at my desk while researching the Cullens. As far as I could tell, the family was clean. Their father, Dr. Cullen, had splendid references, and, other than the times the kids went hunting or camping, their attendance was perfect. Perfect grades. Perfect manners. Rich. Pretty. Punctual.

God, I'm gonna be sick.

My head was aching as I answered my phone, wondering who would be calling me at 2:00 a.m.

"Hello?" I croaked. I cleared my throat and tried to make it sound like I hadn't just woken up.

"Bella?" a familiar voice asked.

I jerked up straight and gasped. "Ash?"

I heard something that might have been a laugh or a sob, I couldn't tell, before he began to talk. "I can't believe you're alive."

"How did you get my number?" I asked, worried.

"It's not important right now. Trade secret from one hacker to another. Listen, I found something big."

I furrowed my brow, confused. "What are you talking about?"

He did that laughing-sobbing thing again and I realized he was probably drunk. "I can't talk over this line, but it's…it's huge. I just needed to know that the rumours were true because something…something really awful is gonna happen. I'll contact you however I can. Just please, be safe." And then he hung up.

I blinked and put my phone onto its charger. I sat at my desk, staring at the wall, thinking. Ash was an old friend. He had a mullet and honestly, he didn't seem very stable. He was a genius though. He attended MIT when he was seventeen. He was kicked out for fighting. I used to play brainteasers with him. He taught me how to hack any computer system. He also slept on a pool table, but we all have our quirks.

To sum it all up, I could trust him, and if he called me again, I would listen to him. He must have had some important info for Renée to give him my cell number.

I shook my head and changed into my pyjamas. I could still manage a few more hours of sleep before school started.

-

Edward Cullen was gone.

I couldn't understand it. Maybe I should have asked Ash about them. Maybe I should've called Renée and told her that there was something wrong with Forks. Maybe I was an idiot, because I didn't do any of that. I didn't even tell anyone about him. What could they do, anyway? If he _was_ something other than human, it was my job to deal with him.

When he didn't show up on Friday, I figured he might not come back at all. Had I scared him away? Maybe I was reading it all wrong. Maybe he knew something about demons. Maybe he could sense that I'd spent the last four months in hell.

There were too many maybes. I needed more information, so on Friday after school, I drove out to upstate New York and found my mom's lock-up.

Hunting for centuries meant that you accumulated a lot of stuff. Sometimes you couldn't carry it all. The most space-consuming things we had were our journals. I opened the door and walked in. The room inside was dark. I was careful about the tripwire. The last thing I needed was another trip downstairs. The floor was painted with a giant Devil's Trap. I stepped over it and headed for the back room. My eyes wandered over the curse boxes until I located the bookshelves. I didn't know what I was looking for, so I simply began loading all of the books. There were at least a thousand and most of them were in pretty good shape. We tried to keep them maintained. They _were _our history after all.

I finished loading them up and drove back home. I figured that _someone_ in my family must have encountered something like the Cullens, whatever the hell they were.

I made it home just before dawn and fell asleep.

-

_I heard footsteps and turned to see a man in a construction helmet running. Everything was dark and blurry. Was I dreaming? I followed him without thinking about it. The man dropped off a ladder and started running again. Suddenly, I was somewhere else, and something was chasing him. They moved quickly, cornering him on the roof. One of them landed in front of him. He turned around, trying to run again, but another jumped behind him. He was trapped. A third appeared and slammed him to the ground. I couldn't see what they were._

_Suddenly, my vision cleared and I got a glimpse of bright red eyes-_

I sat up straight and grabbed my head. I barely made it to the bathroom before I threw up. That was it, no more driving for ten hours straight. I was obviously stressing out.

I went downstairs and prepared my breakfast. I'd filled my entire trunk and part of the backseat with books. If I was ever going to figure out about the Cullens, I would have to start from the beginning.

My head stopped hurting and I sat down on the couch with Mathieu Colt's journal. It was written around 1350 A.D. in France.

I turned to the first entry and began reading.

_My God hath blessed me with a son. After burying six of my babes before they hath begun to live, my Italian angel Elisabetta hath birthed a live son. And what a son he is. Elisa says he is like an angel wrapped in sunlight. She has named him Lucius for it means light._

_I wished on a falling star that my baby would live, and I believe god hath given me him as a gift. I shall cherish him and my love to the grave._

Mathieu's entries stayed about the same until Lucius was fourteen. That was when he encountered a demon. The demon killed his mother, Elisabetta, and was trying to kill him, when he spoke a Latin exorcism and sent the smoke-bitch back to hell. That is…after he cut her with one of his father's trusty swords.

Afterwards, the weapon was different. Lucius described in his own journals that the weapon became a part of him. The sword used the blood of the damned and became a tool of defence against everything that went bump in the night.

Demon blood was a hot commodity in the Hunting community. Just one drop could turn a butter knife into a deadly weapon. I'd doused my knife in the stuff when I was four. The only thing a demon-weapon couldn't kill was the smoke-bitches themselves. As far as anyone knew, all you could do was send them back where they came from. Considering their options, I think some of them wished they could be killed.

I shook my head and kept reading. I had all weekend to study up.

-

Monday morning was a relief. I was almost glad to go to school instead of sitting inside all day, reading.

My research had turned up nothing. I was still as clueless about the Cullens as I was that first day. Ash still hadn't called me back, and I was starting to worry about him.

I drove out to the school with one of the journals, just in case I got bored in class. There was a lot of snow and ice on the ground. I worried about the roads being too slick to drive around. I hoped my car didn't start to rust.

By the time lunch rolled around, I was finished the journal. There was nothing important in it.

I sat at my usual table, forcing myself not to look at the Cullen's table. I didn't want to make them more suspicious. Immediately, my friends surrounded me. Mike, Jessica, Angela and our newest addition, Eric crowded around me. Mike immediately began jabbering on about the snow. He and Jessica seemed to be planning a snowball fight. Eric and Angela sat, listening attentively, but I could tell they were bored.

Finally, Eric interrupted Mike's ranting. "Did you hear about the security guard down at Mason County?" he asked.

Jessica turned, hearing a subtle gossipy tone in Eric's voice. "What happened?"

"He was killed be some sort of animal," Eric explained. "My dad told me about it. It happened last night. It'll be in the papers in a couple days."

I stiffened. Something about what he said struck a chord in me. I subtly changed my expression to one of polite interest. "Do a lot of attacks like that happen? I mean, we live so close to the forest. Do a lot of animals come out and attack people around here?"

Eric shook his head. "Not really. Honestly, my dad says the animal population is going down. He blames global warming. It's screwing up their migrating habits and they're going farther north into Canada or something."

That wasn't the answer I expected.

Jessica suddenly giggled. "Edward Cullen is staring at you, Bella."

I froze and tried to make my voice casual, but I couldn't completely hide the uneasy edge to it. "He doesn't look pissed at me, does he?" I asked.

Jessica's eyebrows drew together as she checked. "No, should he?" she asked.

I grinned and made myself sound cocky and unperturbed. "I think I might have crossed the line when I asked him about his lipstick. Oh, and Mike, it's been raining for ten minutes. The snow has probably all melted."

The rest of my table turned to look out the window. Mike and Jessica cursed under their breath when they realized I was right. I allowed my head to turn slightly to the side so I could catch Edward's gaze. Jessica was right, he didn't look angry. He and his family were having their own snowball fight in the middle of the cafeteria. Emmett, the huge brown-haired boy, shook his head, sending ice flying over everyone. Rosalie reeled back in disgust while Alice held up her lunch tray as a shield in her dainty little hands. Even Jasper, the boy who usually looked like he was in pain, seemed to be smiling.

Edward's eyes locked onto mine…and his mask slipped. I could see pain and despair. My eyes widened slightly. He kept staring at me, and I realized I should do something.

So, I gave him a sweet smile and blew him a kiss.

I had to cover my mouth to hold in my laughter when his mouth dropped open. As it was, Jessica looked at me strangely, but apparently, she was too upset about the snow to care.

Something occurred to me on my way to Biology. Why hadn't the snow the Cullens played with melt?

-

Edward's POV

I took my seat in Biology and prepared to hold my breath.

Bella Colt walked into the room and I tried not to think about Alice's vision, but it was impossible. If I hadn't left…

Alice saw me inside Bella's kitchen, waiting for her. She came inside with bags of groceries. She seemed somewhat flustered, but I didn't care about that. All I cared about was that she smelled _so good_. She looked around, as if sensing my presence and pulled out a knife. She looked around warily and I came up behind her, grabbing her arm and sinking my teeth into her neck-

I forced myself not to shudder with revulsion…and desire. Eric Yorkie seemed to be working his way up to asking her to the prom. Bella seemed less than enthused. She mentioned Angela's name and thanked him for the invite. She then sat down beside me and pulled out her books. She peeked at me out of the corner of her eye. What she saw confused her for some reason. I wished more than ever that I could read her thoughts. My curiosity seemed to be increasing instead of dulling.

Mr. Molina started setting up the projector. I turned to the girl and smiled slightly, making sure I wasn't showing too much of my teeth. "Hello," I said.

Bella looked at me and blinked, bewildered. As I stared into her deep, brown eyes, I realized that the hate I'd felt for her was gone. Not breathing or tasting her scent, it was hard to believe anyone so vulnerable could justify hatred.

I continued. "My name is Edward Cullen," I said. It was a formality. She was quite aware of who I was. "I didn't have a chance to introduce myself last week."

The bewildered look disappeared and I could see suspicion fill her face. I began to worry.

She surprised me by smiling. "Pleased to meet you, Edward, hope you guess my name."

My lips twitched. "You're a fan of the Rolling Stones?" I asked.

Bella's eyes widened in wonder and delight, before she settled back into her cocky smile. "You're the first one who's gotten that. I'm impressed."

For some reason I couldn't imagine, that made me smile wider. I looked away quickly as Mr. Molina lectured us on what to do. Bella seemed bored. She doodled in the margin of her notebook, but otherwise didn't move. A smile flashed across her face as Mr. Molina made a show of cracking his voice as he announced that the first partners to finish would receive, pause for dramatic effect, a golden onion.

I realized I was out of air. I checked on Bella and saw that she was still distracted. I leaned away from her, tightening my muscles and inhaled through my teeth.

Ahhh! Genuinely painful. I could taste her on my tongue! It took every ounce of my self-control to turn to her and smile. "Ladies first, partner," I said, pushing the microscope toward her.

She put the first slide in and checked it. "It's prophase," she said, barely looking at it. "So, what was up with the disappearing act?" she asked casually.

I ignored her question and took the microscope, rechecking her answer. "You're right, it's prophase."

"Of course I'm right," she replied. "And you still haven't told me why you left," she added in a singsong voice.

I frowned. It was no use distracting her. "I was out of town for a few days…personal reasons."

She huffed but dropped the subject. I replaced the first slide with the second and checked it. "Anaphase," I said, writing down the answer.

Bella held out her hand. "Mind if I check it?" she asked. She didn't wait for a reply but just grabbed the microscope and checked it. Her eyes widened again and she huffed. "You're right."

"Of course I am," I said, repeating her words.

She shook her head and laughed. "Guess I deserved that. Next slide?" she asked. I handed it to her. My skin brushed against hers and both of us jumped. Electricity shot up my arm. Bella's eyes shot to my face, alarmed. She looked down quickly. "Anaphase," she said.

We completed the assignment without talking. I knew that my cold skin must have frightened her. How could I have been so _stupid_?

I searched for a way to make her comfortable. "It's too bad about the snow," I said, trying to make small talk. Humans seemed to enjoy the meaningless act.

She looked at me like I'd just told her aliens existed on Mercury. "Not really," she said. "I don't like the cold," she explained. "I always preferred it when my mom found jobs in the south."

Ah, yes, the elusive Renée Colt, Bella's flighty mother. People still occasionally thought about her, especially when Charlie Swan had died all alone. Most of the town resented her and saw Bella as a victim of the selfish woman.

Bella suddenly looked directly at me with her intense, brown eyes. "Did you get contacts?" she asked.

"No," I said. I almost smiled at the thought of improving _my _eyesight.

"Hmm," she grunted. "I could have sworn your eyes were black last week."

I forced myself not to freeze. How did she notice that? Most humans, when they looked at us, tended to admire our beauty but they blocked out individual features. Why was it she saw so much?

"It's the fluorescents," I said, trying to come up with a feasible excuse. Bella shrugged, apparently done with the topic. I looked at her, trying to figure out a way to distract her. "If you hate the cold so much, why did you move here?"

Bella looked at me and started to open her mouth, then she shut it. She leaned back, crossing her arms over her pullover. "Do you want the _real _reason?" she asked.

I looked at her, bewildered. "That would be preferable," I finally said.

She shrugged and closed her eyes. She leaned forward and rested her head on her hands. "About a year and a half ago, my mom and I got into a serious car accident. I survived it without a scratch, but Renée was badly injured. I made a-" She flinched, as if remembering something unpleasant. "A deal. Renée got better, but a year later, it was time to pay the pied piper…and somebody died."

I had to restrain myself from sucking in a breath. Was she involved in some sort of mafia deal? That was ridiculous. It was like a plotline for a cheesy action movie.

"I thought it would be best to stay away from the people I cared about, you know, just in case they come back for me."

I couldn't understand why I was suddenly filled with rage, but the thought of a human killing such an innocent girl…

My hands tensed and I sucked in another breath of her scent. "Did you go to the police?"

Bella actually threw her head back and laughed. A few of the other students looked up, confused as to why there was joy in a place of learning. Bella leaned closer to me, and I struggled not to focus on the veins in her throat. "The police can't help me, Edward, no one can." She said this with a complete and utter sense of defeat, as if she was already prepared to die. I wondered where her mother was during this time. Why wasn't she helping her?

The bell rang and we received our prize for finishing. Bella stared at the golden onion for a few seconds before chucking into my hands. "You can use it as a baseball or something. Be sure to knock some of your brother's teeth out." She laughed at her own joke and headed for her next class.

It was insane of me to follow her.

Nonetheless, I walked with her to Mr. Banner's Supernatural class. "Why did you choose this class?" I asked, trying not to seem too uncomfortable.

Bella turned around and smiled at me. "What can I say? I'm a sucker for monsters." She did something incredibly stupid and incredibly exhilarating.

She kissed me.

It was on my cheek, and luckily, I wasn't breathing when she did so, but was she _insane_? I'd pictured killing her a thousand different ways in Biology and I'd very nearly killed her when she went home that night, and she had the nerve to _kiss me_?

I realized with some embarrassment that my mouth was hanging open. Bella laughed at me and dove into her class. She waved and said loudly, "I'll catch you later, Edward!" Of course, everyone in the hallway turned to stare at me, but I was already racing to my next class. Unlike Bella, when the other students looked at me, they quickly looked away.

I sat next to Emmett in my Spanish class and touched my cheek. It was almost as if I'd been burned. It was a nice burning, though, not at all like the one in my throat. I probably still had a deer-caught-in-headlights-look on my face, but I couldn't seem to make my brain function.

She'd _kissed _me?

-

Bella's POV

I'll admit kissing Edward Cullen on the cheek just to check his body temperature was probably not one of my most brilliant plans, especially since I couldn't forget how nice it felt.

I stuck my head in my book to hide what felt like a faint blush on my cheeks. That was so stupid. I never blushed. I also never spilled my life story to people who just might want to kill me. I was obviously still going insane from stress.

Mr. Banner's class passed quickly, and I started to sport an agonizing headache. What I wanted to do most of all was take about six Tylenol and pass out for eight hours.

Angela walked with me out to the parking lot. I rubbed my temples and groaned, stopping in front of a giant, red, Chevy truck.

"Are you okay?" Angela asked. I could tell she was worried.

I waved it off. "Go on ahead. I've just got a migraine. I'll be fine."

Angela was persistent. "Are you sure you should be driving?"

I snapped at her, irritated. "Yes! I'll be fine!" I softened my tone, feeling guilty. "Thanks for asking. I'm really okay."

Angela nodded, still looking unsure and walked to her car.

I set my bag down on the slippery ground and pressed the palms of my hand into my eyes. I blinked as the world unfocussed around me. I saw Edward Cullen leaning against a silver Volvo.

I thought, _Man, it's really hard to look badass when you're posing next to a soccer mom car, but he can actually pull it off._

I shut my eyes again. The pain was getting worse. What was wrong with me? I tried to think of something to get my mind off the pain, but all I could think of was an old Rolling Stones song.

_I'm so sick and tired._

_Trying to turn the tide, yeah._

_So I'll say my goodbye._

"Ah!" I cried out. I fell to my knees. I reached out blindly and grabbed the strap of my duffle bag. I thought I heard someone call my name before something changed.

_I wasn't on the ground. I was standing up. I turned around as I heard a car horn and the squeal of tires. A dark blue van headed straight for me. I didn't even have time to scream._

No! I just got out!

_A blue blur zipped in front of my eyes, and suddenly Edward Cullen was in front of me. He put his right hand on my neck and the van smashed into his left. The metal dented as if his hand was made of rock. I stared in amazement. Our heads turned simultaneously and we stared at each other._

I gasped and blinked. Edward was sitting in front of me. His cold hands cupped my cheeks. "Bella! Can you hear me?" he yelled.

I blinked again. "I'm fi-" I started to say, when I heard the familiar squeal of tires.

I glanced over, frozen with fear as the same van from my (Vision? Dream?) was heading toward us. Edward wrapped his arms around my waist and rolled us out of its path. The van smashed into the giant Chevy. Edward got to his feet and pulled me up.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I couldn't answer him, not truthfully anyway. I stared at the dark blue van as dozens of students filled the parking lot. All of them were screaming for an ambulance. The driver of the van looked out the window and his eyes locked onto me. There was a cut on the dark skin of his forehead. "Are you alright?" he asked. He struggled with his seatbelt and two boys helped him out of the van.

"Just sit down, Tyler. You're bleeding," one of them told him.

"I didn't hurt them, did I?" he said dizzily. "They were right in front of me."

"I'm fine," I told him, finally breaking out of my daze. I realized that Edward was still gripping my arms. "I'm better than fine, actually." I looked around. My duffle bag had thankfully not suffered any damage. Edward released me and I picked it up. As I stood up straight, my balance suddenly vanished and Edward caught me as I began to fall.

He lowered me to the ground. "You're not fine. Something is wrong with you. You're going to the hospital."

I couldn't argue with that. There definitely _was _something wrong with me.

_Laugh, laugh,_

_I nearly died._

-

Wow, I just updated Wolverine and I finished this in one day. I must really love this story. If you're feeling confused, it's completely natural when dealing with the supernatural. All will be explained.

I'm not sure if I'm going from the book or the movie. I seem to be using a little of both. You guys don't mind, do you?

This was fun to write.

I'll see you later.


	5. Hospitals

Hunter

All right, everyone seems to be enjoying this. I'm not getting as many reviews as my other story, but that's all right. I'm still enjoying it.

M - Nice to hear from you again. You'll have to forgive me when I say that you must forget every rule Supernatural taught you about vampires. It wouldn't be a crossover unless I used Stephanie's rules. They _can _be killed by humans though. I'll explain how this happens soon.

-

Bella's POV

Hospitals weren't my favourite places. The walls were painted with different versions of white, and they always smelled like medicine and death. That was _not_ a pleasant combination.

I sat on the edge of a hospital bed and allowed the nurse to take a blood sample. I'd been to enough hospitals to know the routines.

My head was still pounding and I fought not to grimace as I sat in the sunlight. The light made it worse.

The door to the emergency room opened and my doctor strolled inside. He looked at me and smiled gently. "You must be Isabella Swan," he said.

I grimaced, and that time it wasn't from pain. "Bella Colt," I corrected, and then I smiled. "I sincerely hope there's a crash cart nearby." His expression went blank with confusion. I chuckled. "I bet you cause some heart arrhythmias just be walking into a room."

He laughed, and I decided he wasn't a total douche bag, even if he _did_ look like the guy from the second Hollow Man movie.

"My name is Doctor Cullen. You can call me Carlisle. Edward told me you collapsed before the accident," he said.

I shrugged. "I've been getting some nasty head aches."

"Really?" he asked. He pulled out a penlight and flashed it into my eyes.

_OWW!!! _I covered my eyes and backed up. "Knock it off! That frigging hurts!"

Carlisle jerked back, a little stunned. Apparently, he'd never gotten that reaction before. He frowned. "I think I might need to schedule an MRI."

I groaned. "Ugh, do I have a brain tumour or something?" I asked. Considering the alternative, which I couldn't even bare to think of, I almost hoped I just had a bunch of deadly cells growing in my brain.

"I'm not sure, but it's better to be safe than sorry. How long have you been having these headaches?"

Since I got back from hell, I thought. "About a week ago. I've had one nearly every day."

His face grew more severe. "Have you been vomiting?"

Almost every morning, but seeing people getting chopped to bits can cause a bit of nausea, especially when you're the one-

"Yeah, I have been."

"Alright, what do you say we head down to it now?" he said. I didn't like how filled with dread he sounded. He helped me into a wheelchair, which I felt was totally unnecessary, and ushered me down to get an MRI.

I've had a few of them, mostly after suffering from head trauma. You have to lie still for a long time, usually about half an hour. It's loud and uncomfortable. If I were claustrophobic, I'd really hate them.

I managed to slip my knife into my duffle bag. The last thing I needed was the swat team called on me. People are so paranoid.

I lay down on the table and allowed Carlisle to scan my brain. "Hey, see if you can find my sanity while you're snooping around in there! And stay out of the room with the DO NOT ENTER sign, unless you like watching people eat bugs. God! I really shouldn't have watched that episode of Survivor."

I heard Carlisle choke back a laugh. I assumed that he didn't want to be smiling while he was telling me I would probably die. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, and wore it out.

"This is covered by my insurance, right?" I asked.

"Yes," he answered, using his microphone. I couldn't see him, but I knew he was scanning for foreign matter in my brain. I'd seen enough episodes of House to figure that much out. "Try not to talk too much."

"Sorry!" I called back and promptly shut up. I tapped my fingernails on the floor of the machine, trying to hold still. I began humming "Some Kind Of Monster" by Metallica. Finally, he finished and pulled me out of that prison. "That was about as fun as watching paint dry," I commented.

He looked confused. "From what I could tell, everything looked normal. Does you head still hurt?"

I shrugged. "It feels a little fuzzy, but it isn't too bad."

He leaned back and crossed his arms. "It might be migraines. I'll write you a prescription. Try to keep track of your headaches. If they start getting worse, call me."

I chuckled. "As if I need a reason to call you," I said. I fluttered my eyelashes and laughed at Carlisle's stunned face. "Relax dude, I know you're married. Don't worry, I've done a lot of bad things, but I'm not a home wrecker."

Carlisle looked mildly disturbed, but he didn't comment. "Let's go back to the examination room."

I picked up my bag and walked with him. I sat myself back on the bed and looked around. Tyler Crowley, my almost killer was passed out on the bed next to me. "Is he going to be alright?" I asked.

Carlisle nodded. "It looks that way."

"It's a good thing Edward was there. I would've been screwed if he wasn't."

As if my words had summoned him, he appeared. His eyes locked on Tyler's unconscious form before drifting to me. "Are you alright?"

I smirked. "Thanks to you, Superman, my reign of terror can go on." Edward chuckled. I suddenly frowned. "How am I going to get home?" I mumbled.

"I'll drive you," Edward said. Carlisle gave him a quick, sharp look. I pretended not to notice.

I looked at him sharply, poking his chest. "Alright, but if you try any funny stuff, I'll make you wish you had died today."

Edward seemed amused by my anger. "I promise I'll be a perfect gentleman, but if you don't feel comfortable driving with me, I assume someone in the waiting room will offer to give you a ride."

I groaned. "How many people are out there?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "About half the school from what I saw."

I turned to Carlisle. "Is there a back exit around here?" I asked. Edward grinned wider and shook his head. "Fine, we'll go out the window, then." With that, I grabbed my bag and started to climb out the window behind the bed.

Carlisle seemed ready to protest, but I already had one leg outside. "Relax Doc, this is a synch. Try not to fall on your ass, pretty boy," I said to Edward. The emergency room was on the first floor, so it was no trouble jumping outside. I landed in a garden of dying flowers and took off to look for his car. Edward had left it with the keys still in the ignition. I guessed that in a town this small, no one would think of stealing someone else's car.

Suddenly, I sensed a presence behind me. I whirled around and reached for my absent knife. When I saw it was only Edward, I rolled my eyes. "Don't you guys make any noise when you walk?" I asked.

For a second, I glimpsed his discomfort, but he quickly covered it up. He held up a white, plastic bag with Doctor Cullen's signature on it. "Your medicine," he told me.

I smirked. "Mother's little helper." I took the bag and gave him another spontaneous kiss, although that one was for an entirely improper reason. I enjoyed his stunned look for half a second and got into the passenger seat.

Edward recovered and got into the car. His expression was tense. "Do you need directions?" I asked.

"No, I know where you live," he said.

I hmmed. "That's vaguely ominous." He snickered and reached for the radio. He turned it to the classical station and leaned back into his seat. I listened for a few seconds and realized I recognized to melody. "Huh, Clair de Lune. You _actually_ have decent taste," I said.

He snickered again. "I doubt people would expect you to know anything by Debussy."

"I like to surprise people."

"You succeed quite well." I watched as he drummed the notes out on the steering wheel. He drove as fast as I did. I was grateful for that. We pulled up into my driveway and got out of the car. "May I come in for a few minutes?" he asked.

I considered that. On the one hand, he was most likely a monster who wanted to eat me alive, on the other, he had a face that could have been painted by Da Vinci. My hormones won and I allowed him inside.

It was only after I let him in that I remembered that the journals were still strewn around the living room. I'd filled up the ceiling-high bookshelf with some of them, but there will still at least eight-hundred piled up along the walls.

"Sorry about the mess," I said. "I've been doing some research." I'd figured out that most of the siblings in my family went on the same hunts, which eliminated hundreds of books that I had to read. It meant I was getting closer to finishing. I would probably make another stop in New York to drop them off. I hoped Edward couldn't read Latin, but I didn't put it past him. "They're private journals, so don't touch," I said severely.

Edward smiled as if my anger was the most amusing thing in the world. He obediently left the books alone and sat down on the couch.

"Do you want anything to eat?" I asked. I was pretty sure he would say no. He and his family never ate anything at school.

"No, thank you," he said predictably. I smirked and sat down next to him, studying him. There was something odd about the way he sat so still. As if realizing I was staring, he shifted his position. I tried to hide my suspicions. "Do you like being out here all by yourself?" he asked suddenly.

I hadn't really thought about whether I _liked _it. I was used to being alone. I shrugged. "It's not so bad. So, is there a reason you wanted to come in?"

Edward looked away. If I didn't know any better, I could almost swear he looked like he was about to blush, though his face stayed as pale and smooth as ever. His golden eyes seemed to darken as they looked back at me. I tried not to let him know I noticed. "I was wondering if I could give you a ride."

Well, that was unexpected…and sweet.

I smiled at him gently. "That would be great. Wait!" I said, suddenly worried. "Your car only has five seats. What about the rest of your family?"

Edward smiled. "Rosalie has been waiting for an excuse to drive to school in her new car, and Alice can't wait to meet you."

Alice? Well, she _was _the smallest one. If things got dangerous, I could probably take her out. No, stupid! Never judge a monster by their pigtails! She could be the most dangerous of them all!

Finally, I decided if they wanted me dead, they would have done it already. I nodded and smiled. "That would be great!" I said, infusing as much enthusiasm into my voice as I could.

Edward rolled his eyes.

"There's just one thing," I said.

His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What?" he asked.

I grinned menacingly. "Can I drive?"

-

_I saw her standing by the pool table. We were in a bar that I recognized as the Comet Tavern. It was in Seattle. The clock said it was 11:15._

_The girl turned away from me. She was pretty, with dark skin and short, curly black hair. She was with a friend, a blond girl with a big smile. I watched as she suddenly turned back again. There was a slightly flustered look on her face. She whispered something to her friend and her friend turned to look. She turned back and giggled, pushing her friend into the dark towards somebody._

_I tried to see through the darkness, but it was impossible. I kept my eyes on the girl's silhouette and watched as she stopped to talk to someone. She kept shifting from side to side and looking down. She was uncomfortable, I sensed. I heard a smooth, male voice and saw the dark figure reach out to take her hand. The girl shivered, but followed as he led her outside. I found myself in an alley, watching as they stepped out into the cold. The girl found herself pinned against the wall a second later. She let out a muffled scream as the man began to kiss her neck._

My own screams woke me. I'd fallen asleep on the couch reading more journals. It was still dark out, but I was used to the lack of light by now. I groaned and stretched, wondering what was up with me. I had never dreamt so much in my entire life. Maybe I should have taken one of Carlisle's pills, but I figured Renée would need them more than me.

I got off the couch and started to get ready. I was munching on some toast when Edward knocked on the door. I stuffed the rest of it into my mouth and wiped off any crumbs from my face and clothes. I wore a dark blue blouse and jeans. I put on my long-sleeved, plaid shirt and jacket and answered the door. "You're early," I said as I looked him over.

He wore a dark blue shirt, jeans and a blue jacket. He leaned against the doorframe and smiled. He looked inside to the living room. "Did you fall asleep in here?" he asked.

I felt myself start to blush and looked away. I bit my lip and nodded. "My ancestors weren't very interesting," I lied. The truth was; I was starting to get into the best years, when everyone was aware of monsters and often offered assistance to my family. They would invite them to stay at their houses and feed them. Hunting didn't exactly offer a good pension plan. "Are you ready to go?" I asked.

He nodded. "I brought Emmett and Alice. I hope you don't mind." I shook my head and we went out to the car.

-

Edward's POV

Bella gave my car a once over and shook her head, laughing. I couldn't understand what was so funny. I got into the passenger side and she got behind the wheel. She took out a pair of gloves and grasped the steering wheel tentatively. She turned around and locked eyes with Alice and Emmett. She smiled. "Sorry about this." She inclined her head in my direction. "It was his idea." I was about to protest, but decided that it would be easier not to.

I'd asked Emmett and Alice to come because were the best options if I wanted to keep from killing her. Alice would catch anything major and warn me, although she had been hiding her thoughts for quite a while. I wondered what was up, but I still trusted her. Emmett was strong enough to pull me off her if I did attack. I winced as I inhaled a breath of her scent. I wondered if this was a mistake, but I felt in control.

"It's okay," Alice said in her tinkling voice. She gave Bella big grin and I caught a glimpse of something in her thoughts. "I've always wanted to drive a friend to school." I caught the word _friend _and looked at her. She gave me an innocent smile and started reciting the Declaration of Independence in her head. I rolled my eyes at her. She would slip up eventually.

Bella grinned. "The pleasure's all mine, Twinkle-Toes," she said, winking at her. She looked at me. "I'd put my seatbelt on if I were you," she warned.

I smirked. "I think I'll be okay." If she saw how _I _drove, she wouldn't be so concerned.

She shrugged and turned on the radio. A Lynard Skynard song began to play out and I grimaced, reaching for the radio.

Bella slapped my hand. "Not a chance, Superman. Driver picks the music, shotguns shut their cake-holes," she said as if quoting from a bible. She turned the dial up and pulled out of the driveway. She gave me a wicked grin and floored it. The tires squealed and I grabbed onto the seat as we spun into the right lane.

I looked at her, alarmed. She laughed and began to sing along to the radio, on key even.

"_I was cutting the rug,_

_Down at a place called the jug,_

_With a girl named Linda Lu._

_When in walked a man,_

_With a gun in his hand,_

_And he was looking for you-know-who."_

At the last line, she pointed at herself and turned onto another road.

"_He said 'Hey there fellow,_

_With your hair coloured yellow!_

_Whacha tryin to prove?_

_Cause that's my woman there,_

_And I'm a man who cares,_

_And this might be all for you.'"_

She turned another corner, squealing the tires again. Suddenly, the music cut off. Bella looked at the radio angrily as a newscaster apologized for the interruption.

"_Last Wednesday, a robbery in Port Angeles was interrupted by an unknown individual. The assailants sustained minor injuries and were detained by police who are searching for the supposed vigilante for questioning. She is described as being around five foot six, with a slim build, and brown hair and hazel or brown eyes. Witnesses say she looked to be in her late teens or early twenties. Video evidence suggests that she is well trained in self-defence and used several items from the store to disable the armed robbers._

_Please, if you have any information on whom this girl could be, or if you are listening yourself, please report to the police. Thank you."_

I realized that Bella was holding her breath. She let it out very quietly and went back to singing her song, although she didn't seem very interested anymore.

I looked at her, and then I _really _looked at her. She wasn't 5'6", but she was close. Her build was slim, although she was always wearing such bulky clothing that it was hard to tell. Her hair and eyes were both brown.

Nonsense. There were millions of girls who fit that description. But the way she reacted…

"Bella?" I asked. I sensed Alice and Emmett's thoughts. They too were coming to the same conclusion.

She sped into the school parking lot and spun the car around. The momentum carried it into our usual parking space facing outward. She turned and smiled at me. "You're not the only one with secrets, Superman." With that said, she leaned in a kissed my cheek again. I was more prepared that time, but what I wasn't prepared for was Alice's thoughts.

Luckily, Bella got out of the car and raced to her first class. I gripped the seat so hard that the fibres came loose. I turned slowly to Alice. She was trying to cover up her mistake, but it was too late.

I'd seen Bella, not as a fragile human, but a beautiful, deadly immortal. Her white arm was wrapped around Alice's waist and they were smiling at each other.

"Did she just kiss you?" Emmett said, gawking at me. I didn't have the self-control to answer. I felt like I should scream.

"I have to leave," I growled. Emmett's eyes widened. Rosalie and Jasper appeared and slipped into the car.

"What's the matter now?" Rosalie whined. She glared at me when I ignored her.

"When did you see that?" I asked Alice.

She looked away guiltily. "When you saved her yesterday. It solidified at that moment."

"What did?" Emmett bellowed. He looked back and forth between us. I felt Jasper let out a wave of calm and I realized I was on the verge of breaking down. I was furious.

Alice quickly explained. "I had a vision when Edward saved Bella yesterday. I saw her as one of us."

My family reacted with shock. I gritted my teeth at the onslaught of thoughts.

"No! That's not going to happen to her," I growled out. "Not her." I realized I was still clutching my seat and I removed my hands. The cushion was in ribbons. Rosalie looked at it with disdain.

"That's not all I saw," Alice said tentatively. I froze as another of her visions played out.

It was worse than I could imagine.

My own eyes, deep crimson with human blood, the eyes of the monster. Bella's broken body in my arms, ashy white, drained, lifeless.

I darted out of the car and ran into the forest. Luckily, everyone else had already gone inside. We were late for our first class. Carlisle would be disappointed. Esme would be worried. I slammed a fist into a tree, breaking it in half. I slipped to my knees, clutching my stomach. I couldn't shake the visions out of my head. My revulsion was almost outweighed by my desire and I realized it would be so easy to do either one. If I slipped…

Alice and the others approached me. "I need to leave," I repeated.

"I don't think you _can _leave, Edward," Alice said. _Think about it. Think about leaving._

I understood what she meant. The thought of leaving Forks, of never seeing Bella again, it was agonizing.

Alice smiled. "She's so much fun, Jazz. Edward will need to introduce you. We're going to be best friends."

"No!" I shouted. "Nobody's going near her! I can't do that to her!"

Alice frowned. "I love her too, Edward, or at least, I'm _going_ to."

"Love her, _too_?" I asked, incredulous.

Emmett looked puzzled. "What are you guys talking about?"

Rosalie smacked him. "Pay attention! Alice sees him falling for a _human_! How classically Edward!" She pretended to gag.

Alice sighed. "Let's go to class. They'll be missing us. We don't want to worry Esme."

Even Rosalie shut up and did as she was told. No one ever wanted to upset Esme. I stayed kneeling on the forest floor. Alice had been wrong before. I _would _change the future. I wasn't strong enough to leave now, but soon. I would just have to avoid her. No more rides to school, no more chatting during Biology, no more exchanging smiles or…I touched my cheek, remembering her warm lips brushing against my cold skin. Why hadn't she shied away?

"Edward!" Alice called.

I managed to get to my feet and ran to the edge of the forest. I couldn't look at anyone. I sensed Jasper reacting to my sudden pain. I tried to relax for his sake, but I couldn't get my mind off Bella. Finally, I gained enough control to go to my first class.

-

Bella's POV

I spent my Art class drawing the people from my dreams. While their murderers had been blocked by shadows, I'd seen the victims quite clearly. Ms. Ackley complimented me on my creativity when I drew the bar scene. She said the girl's emotions were very clear on her face.

By the time lunch rolled around, their faces were all I could think about. I scanned the room for Edward, and saw him sitting with his family. I debated going over to talk to him. Were we friends now?

"Hey, Bella!" Angela called. I turned away from them and sat down next to her. She pulled out a book. "Mr. Banner said we were starting Psychic Phenomena yesterday, so I borrowed this from the library. It lists all these psychic powers and stuff. I thought you might find it interesting." She handed it to me.

"Thanks," I said.

"Psychics?" Mike asked, sitting down next to me. "Man, that'd be cool. I would love to be able to read minds."

I snorted. "Yippy," I said sarcastically. "You'd get to hear all the nasty things people think about you, not to mention about a thousand different sexual fantasies going on at once." I shuddered in mock-disgust. Mike's face suddenly became blissful and I frowned in displeasure. "Trust me; it's not all it's cracked up to be. I know a woman who can read minds. She can barely _stand _to be around people."

Angela gasped. "You know a _real _psychic?" she asked. It was like I had told her I was buddies with the Queen of England.

I shrugged. "My mom met her when I was two or so. Her name's Missouri Moseley."

Jessica jumped into the conversation, giggling. "Maybe she can tell you who you're going to the Prom with, Bella."

"She can't do that," I explained.

"Why not?" Mike asked. "You said she was psychic."

I smirked. "My mom once asked her something along those lines. She said, quote, 'Do you see me sawing some boney tramp in half? You think I'm a magician. I may be able to read thoughts and sense energies in a room but I can't pull facts out of thin air!'" My voice was infused with a southern twang and I found myself laughing when I finished. "Nope, if I wanted a psychic power, it would definitely be pyrokinesis."

Mike looked confused. "Pie-what?"

"Pyrokinesis," I said slowly. "It's an ability to set fires with your mind. I'd love to have that. Every time someone pissed me off, I'd set them on fire."

Angela started laughing at my absurd statement. I joined in.

Eric wandered over to our table. "Hey guys, you want to see the newspaper article on the guy that died?"

While Mike and Jessica seemed less than enthused, I found myself suddenly fascinated. "Can I see it?"

Eric seemed pleased with my interest. I knew that normal teenagers didn't like researching dead people and I could only hope he didn't think I was interested because I liked him.

I started to read the article, when I saw the dead man's face. I gasped and my hands started to shake. "Where-" My voice cracked. "Where did he die…exactly?"

Eric leaned forward. "It was in the mill he was working at. The animals cornered him on the roof, I guess."

I nodded and handed the article back to Eric. "Thanks, I'll see you guys in class."

I stood up shakily and went into the bathroom. I knew I didn't need to, but I pulled out the picture of the man I'd drawn. His face hadn't magically changed in the last couple of hours. I was staring at the face of the man who died.

And I'd seen it before it happened.

-

I think this was a decent effort, considering I'm depressed because I have to go to school tomorrow. Don't be shocked if my writing slows down again.

The song Bella sang was _Gimme Three Steps_ by Lynard Skynard. It's a good song. I just heard it this morning.

Thank you for the responses.

I'll talk at you later.


	6. Meeting The Monster

Hunter

I woke up at 12:58 this morning and decided I should write something. Insomnia's a bitch.

The premonition thing will be explained all in good time, my little hell raisers.

Oh, and Rubberduck697, I want to thank you for the review. Your insights are incredibly valuable to me, (not that I have any problem with just a simple, "You're too incredible for words," but I do need someone to bring me down to earth. Anything you're confused about, I will try to explain.)

Nova, I'm ashamed at myself for not catching that error. I've always spelled it that way. Thank you for correcting me.

Here is chapter six.

-

Edward's POV

By the time I made it to Biology, I could feel the desire to put off my warning by just a few days getting stronger. Bella looked upset. She sat at her desk with her head in her hands. I wondered if she had another headache.

I sat down and turned to look at her. It was funny. Her features hadn't drastically changed in the past few days. Was it really possible that I hadn't noticed how beautiful she was? It seemed like such an obvious thing.

I suddenly became aware that she was muttering something. For a moment, I couldn't make out the words, until I realized that she wasn't speaking English.

"_Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae._"

Latin? She spoke Latin? And what on earth was she going on about? "_Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death._"

Bella jerked up and caught my gaze. She gave me a pinched smile. "Hey, Edward," she said breathily.

The weakness of her voice surprised me. She was always so confident and cocky, as if nothing in the world could touch her.

I suddenly felt guilty, but it would be better if she avoided me. "Bella, I need to tell you something."

Bella seemed to recognize something in my tone, for her voice came out sounding suspicious. "Yes?" She raised one eyebrow.

I inhaled. The fire in my throat reminded me exactly why I couldn't stay with her. "I don't think we should be friends."

I must have imagined the flash of hurt that passed over her face. Surely, she didn't find my company any better than the dozens of other students who crowded around her. Besides, it was safer, much safer, for me to stay as far away from her as I could.

She choked out, "Okay," and turned away. I smelled salt and heard her sniffle and I realized with some horror that she was crying.

That was ridiculous, surely she, out of all the other students in school, had noticed my differences. She was observant enough for that. Was there some other reason she was so upset? There had to be. We barely knew each other. There was no reason for her to be upset about losing me.

_That didn't stop you from falling in love with her._

I felt furious and defeated all at once when I heard my own internal debate. Bella was a human. Humans were fickle creatures. She would move on and live her life. She would graduate and go to college. Perhaps, she would even get married and have children. The sudden fury that filled me at that moment, when I thought of Bella in someone else's arms, made me wish more than anything that I was human, that I could love her without having to be afraid of hurting her.

Mr. Molina started his lesson and Bella continued to think her silent thoughts.

-

Bella's POV

"Precognition is the ability to see things before they happen. Now, I'm sure some of you have seen movies where a character has this talent. Does _Final Destination_ ring any bells?"

Several of the students nodded as Mr. Banner lectured. I sat next to Angela and tried not to be sick.

"There have been several reported cases of precognition in the real world. About a third of these premonitions take place in dreams."

My head shot up and I listened with rapt attention as Mr. Banner continued. "Dreaming of the future has been recognized as far back as the days of Aristotle. It's one of the most common reported psychic abilities in humans."

My hand crept into the air of its own accord. Mr. Banner looked over at me with some surprise. I was generally quiet in his class. "Yes, miss Colt?"

"So, you're saying that if someone has a dream and it comes true, they're psychic?"

"Well," Mr. Banner looked uncomfortable. "It's more complicated than that. Many people have dreams about plane crashes, and occasionally a plane does crash. It doesn't mean that those people are psychic, they're just aware of the possibilities."

"Yes, alright, but what if it's a _detailed _dream? You know, with addresses, people, and even a relative time? Say, if you dreamt that someone was going to die, and then they do in the exact way you predicted, would that make them psychic?" I tried to ignore the stares of the bewildered teenagers around me. This was important.

"I suppose that _is _the standard, but people rarely have such detailed dreams." He didn't seem to want to continue with my line of questioning, so I let the subject drop.

I couldn't get it out of my mind, though.

As soon as class ended, I started preparing. I walked out to my car as quickly as I could, not even sparing a glance in Edward's direction, and dug into the glove box. Inside, I pulled out several fake I.D.s with my pictures on them. I searched through them, ignoring the ones for the F.B.I. or Homeland Security and finally found one with the name _Tracey Lane _on it. _Tracey _was 5'5", a hundred and fifteen pounds, and twenty-one years old. She was also blond.

I cursed and checked my watch. There had to be a store open somewhere, preferably on the other side of town. I could pick up some temporary hair dye. I should also buy a new shirt; something pink. If anyone came looking for a blond girl named Tracey, no one would think of me. I stuffed the I.D. into my pocket and drove off as fast as I could for town. I managed to find a decent store and paid with cash. I then raced home.

While waiting for my hair to change colours, (and, of course, my eyebrows, because _that_ can give you away) I realized I was probably insane. So I had a weird dream? So what? Mr. Banner had said many people had weird dreams. I was being stupid.

Nevertheless, I couldn't help feeling that that girl was in danger.

What if I _was _wrong? It was highly unlikely, but still plausible. What was wrong with me drinking away my sorrows at a bar? Maybe a cute guy would help me get over the fact that I had been dumped.

Deciding that if I was going to be insane, I might as well enjoy it, I finished with my hair and started on my makeup. I had to put on mascara, something that I didn't enjoy, but was necessary to cover up my dark lashes. Once again, they could give me away. I added a touch of blush and some pink eye shadow to match my top. I traded in my leather jacket for white, fake-fur coat and sifted through my bag for my green Oakley sunglasses. (You know, the kind that reflect everything?)

My car couldn't be helped, so I figured it would be best to park a block or so away from the bar. Luckily, it would be dark by the time I got to Seattle. A black car can look dark blue or green in the darkness.

With my plan in mind, I started on my homework and waited until it was time to leave. I had a pretty good idea as to what time the mystery monster would arrive, and I intended to be sitting close to his victim. What could I do? I could trip her as she made her way toward the guy. She would be so embarrassed that she would probably leave. Then what? I couldn't just let the thing waltz out with another victim.

I slid my gun into my belt and pulled my top over it. No one would be expecting me to wear one, so no one would be looking too closely. Just in case, I made sure my coat concealed it. I then stuck a pack of matches and a lighter into my coat pocket. Many things could be killed by fire, and since I didn't know what the hell I was up against, I would need to be prepared.

I checked the mirror. My makeup was perfect. You could sort of tell my hair had been recently dyed, but I figured no one would care. _Bella_ had never worn a pink shirt to school, and I intended on burning it when I got home. The jeans were fine; everyone wore them. There would be no way to trace me.

I went out to my car and started the long drive to Seattle.

-

The parking lot was nearly empty when I arrived at the Comet Tavern. I made sure I parked far enough away that no one would notice my car, but close enough just in case I needed to make a quick getaway. I stepped lightly over to the bouncer. He gave me a once-over and asked for my I.D. I gave a little sigh but smiled as I handed it over.

_I've done this a thousand times. I'm not a high school student trying to save someone's life; I'm just a college kid who needs a good dose of Vitamin R before my exams come up._

Finally, the bouncer nodded and gave me my I.D. back. I thanked him and went inside. As I expected, there weren't many people, but I spotted the girl from my dreams instantly.

I froze as I gawked at her. She was standing by the pool table, just as I'd predicted. Her blond friend was standing next to her, smiling widely. I watched as she lined up a ball and shot it into the corner pocket. Yes, that was her.

Once I was sure my eyes wouldn't reveal my interest, I removed my sunglasses and stuffed them into my pocket. Sunglasses at night are just so weird.

I moved toward the bartender and sat down. It was Tuesday night, so there weren't many people. I spotted a group of five studying in the far corner, but other than the victim and her friend, there was nobody else around.

I ordered a whiskey on the rocks and pretended to sip away at it. I checked the clock and realized that my mystery monster would be arriving any minute now.

I panicked. I had no idea what to do!

I touched my gun lightly and felt a bit reassured. If my dream was correct, I would see her look up right about…

She didn't look up.

I checked the clock and realized it was after 11:15. I breathed a sigh of relief. So, I was just crazy, not psychic. Well, maybe I could see a doctor about my weird dreams. He could prescribe some nice pills that could help me sleep through the night.

I took a sip of my whiskey and smiled.

"Do you mind if I sit down?" a smooth, water over rocks voice interrupted my reverie. I looked up and nearly gasped. I was sure my eyes widened as I took in the specimen before me.

He was beautiful.

His hair was dark brown and wavy. His skin was somewhat dark, but there was a pale shine to it, as if someone had painted some semi-transparent whitening stuff onto it. He was tall and lean, but muscular. His features were all flawless and symmetrical, but what I noticed most of all…were his eyes.

They were red.

Well, not really _red_. They were more of a dark burgundy, but they made me shiver. There was something not quite human about him.

I realized he was still waiting for an answer, at the same time I realized what had happened.

Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle.

Heisenberg stated that in the act of observing something, you influence it. I'd observed what would happen to that girl, I acted on it, and therefore…I changed the future.

And now, I was the victim.

Oh, hell!

I took a deep breath. "Sure, you can sit down if you'd like," I answered. I made my voice sound higher, almost babyish. It went with my blond hair and pink shirt.

The monster smiled slowly, seductively, and sat down. "May I buy you a drink?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No thanks, I have one. What's your name?" I asked, trying to buy some time while I struggled to find a way out of this.

"Alexander," he answered.

I realized that his pale skin wasn't the only odd thing about him. He sat so still, like a rock. I was reminded of Edward sitting on my couch, not moving. In fact, there were a lot of similar traits between them…but those _eyes_.

"My name's Tracey," I said, remembering the name on my I.D. and my manners. I wasn't used to using different first names, but sometimes it was necessary.

Alexander's lips pulled back into a smile. His white teeth flashed dangerously in the dimly lit room. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Tracey."

"Right back atcha," I said. The formal way he spoke made me think, once again, of Edward. I had to get him out of my mind. "You don't seem like one of the usual crowd," I stated, as if I knew what the usual crowd was like. "Are you just passing through?"

Alexander tilted his head to the side, as if studying me. "Yes, I am. I thought I'd drop by for a snack." He smiled in a way that made me think he wasn't talking about grabbing some M&M's at the gas station.

I tried to contain my shudder as I remembered the way he'd grabbed that girl and dragged her into the alley.

"What are you doing here all by yourself?" he asked suddenly.

I decided to play the broken heart card. It was a lot easier than I expected, especially with Edward's rejection swimming around inside my head. "My boyfriend broke up with me. I thought this was the best place to go." I held up my whiskey glass and smirked. "Mother's little helper," I said, taking a gulp.

I saw Alexander tilt his head again, only this time I caught the look of curiosity he shot my way. "Interesting," I read his lips.

For a second, just a second, I felt something like fingers scrape along my scalp. The sensation was so strange that I scratched my head instinctively. The feeling went away, but Alexander seemed even more confused. I pretended I didn't notice.

"What are you studying?" he asked.

I stared at him and wondered why he was chatting me up. With the other girl, he'd said two words with her, and she'd left with him. Actually, that was kind of strange. What intelligent girl would leave with a boy she just met? She must have sensed something off about Alexander. And she was shy, not the type to take off with just anybody.

"Forensic science," I answered. "I'm studying to be a profiler for the F.B.I." If _that _didn't keep him on his toes, I didn't know what would.

"Really?" Alexander questioned, raising one eyebrow. "And what, pray tell, does a profiler do?"

This was when watching reruns of _Criminal Minds_ came in handy.

I shrugged. "We notice things…_unusual _things. We figure out how people think by how they act. Criminals leave their signatures at a crime scene. Once you know how they think, you can predict them, and then stop them."

Alexander raised one eyebrow. He stared intently at me. "That's very fascinating." He smiled suddenly. "Can you profile me?"

I turned to face him fully. I looked him up and down. "You have money, not a lot, but enough to buy nice shoes…Oxfords. Your dress shirt is too tight. You've either been working out, or you just like to show off." I smirked. "The way you introduced yourself…Alexander, not Alex or Al, that shows that you were raised to feel pride, maybe even arrogance. I bet your father used to sit you down and tell you exactly what your life would be like."

Alexander stopped smiling.

"However, you didn't like his plan. You're a hopeless romantic," I said, pointing at the ring on his finger. "Poesy ring, right? They were commonly exchanged during the seventeenth century as tokens of love. I bet you found some girl you liked, and daddy didn't approve."

Alexander held up a hand. "That's enough. I get it."

I could have gone on, but I saw a flash of pain on his perfect face. It astonished me. I never realized that monsters could have feelings.

"She's dead, isn't she?" I whispered. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," I said, before he could answer.

He stared at my eyes, bewildered, and twisted his ring around his finger. "It happened a while ago." He stared into my eyes, and I felt the scraping sensation on my scalp again. I realized with a start that he was trying to do something to me, but whatever it was, it didn't seem to be working...I hoped.

He smiled slowly, taking in my remorseful expression. I almost saw the gears turning in his head as he looked at me. He was planning something. "I like you, Tracey. Will you come with me?" he asked, holding out his hand.

I couldn't figure out what he wanted for the life of me, but I decided if I was going to kill him, I would need to get him alone. I shifted my legs and felt my gun rub against my stomach. The sensation was comforting. "Alright," I said, giving him my hand.

His skin was cold. Once again, I flashed back to Edward. I forced myself not to grimace as he led me out the side exit.

I didn't know why I was surprised when he threw me against the wall. I must've been getting rusty in my old age.

I squirmed and tried to get my gun out, but suddenly he was in front of me, pressing against me. His body was hard and unyielding. I reached behind me, struggling to get at my knife.

He kissed me.

His hands cupped my cheeks as he held my face still. My eyes widened in surprise as he ran his tongue along my lips. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. I could feel his lips moving against mine as he spoke. "It'll hurt, but I'll have eternity to make it up to you." He started kissing me again, running his lips along my jaw line. I squirmed, but I didn't scream. I'm sure he was expecting at least a whimper, but I wasn't scared.

I felt him open his mouth as he made his way down to my neck…

And then I plunged my knife into his throat.

He reeled back, shock evident in his eyes. I snapped my leg up and kicked him hard with the sole of my shoe. The bottom of my shoes had been soaked in demon blood. They were indestructible, and very, very hard.

Alexander's head snapped off and rolled onto the ground. I fought the lurch in my stomach and backed away. His beheaded torso collapsed to the ground. There was no blood. It was as if I'd removed the head of a marble statue. I took a deep breath and started to exit the alley.

Something grabbed my ankle.

I let out a loud shriek and tried to loosen the iron grip, but it was too tight. I looked down and realized that Alexander's hand, a hand not connected in any way with his brain, had grabbed me. Revulsion ran through me as I kicked him with my other foot. His grip loosened and I backed away.

His hand now searched blindly for something. Another wave of revulsion shot through me as I saw it grasp the severed head. It brought its head onto its shoulders. His face was set in determination, and anger. I watched in horror as the skin around it seemed to close up and I realized I should be doing something. My feet were glued to the ground. I couldn't shut my eyes.

I threw my knife at it.

The blade swished through the air and decapitated him once again, this time taking along his hands as well. It pierced the metal garbage pin behind him and impaled itself up to the hilt of the blade. I scrambled for the limbs and picked them up. The cold was revolting and I fought another lurch in my stomach.

Matches!

I searched my pockets for the lighter and matches I'd brought along. My hands shook as I tore the top off the lighter. Lighter fluid dripped onto my hands and the severed limbs. I dropped them onto its chest and doused the rest of it with the lighter fluid. I wiped my hands off and lit a match. I backed away as I threw it at Alexander. He lit up like a bonfire.

I grabbed my knife and ran. It wasn't safe to hang around. Someone was bound to notice the flames soon enough. I just hoped that the fire would kill him. I jumped into my car and started it. My hands still shook and my teeth were chattering. I turned on the radio, searching for any type of distraction.

_My name is Death and the end is here._

I jerked in my seat and switched the station. The last thing I wanted to think about was Death. I'd killed someone. Even if he _was _a murderer, I'd killed him.

I had to stop thinking about him. I had to stop thinking about his lips on mine and his promise of eternity.

Eternity…he was immortal. That was the only explanation for his strange words. "_I'll have eternity to make it up to you_," he'd whispered. Why? I wasn't anything special. What had I done to cause such a reaction? And what was he trying to do to me? Eternity…god, what _was _he? What kind of creature could turn a human into an immortal?

I rubbed my scalp as I raced home. I didn't want to be alone. I wanted to call my mother and beg her to let me come back. I flinched as I imagined her response if I explained my visions. Maybe she wouldn't wait for someone else to get me. Maybe she would just kill me herself.

I was sobbing by the time I pulled into the driveway. I ran inside for a shower and washed out my fake hair colour and the stupid makeup. I scrubbed so hard that my scalp was raw and red by the time I got out. I checked and made sure that my hair wasn't noticeably blonder. It was fine. I looked like me again.

I climbed into bed and pulled the blanket over my head as I tried to block out the voices that begged me to go back. There was nothing left of him, I knew this somehow, but the thought of never dying…

I squeezed my temples and muttered under my breath. "What's dead should stay dead."

_My name is Death and the end is here_.

-

I'm sorry this chapter is shorter than the last one. I promise the next one will be longer, and full of interesting plot stuff.

To summarize this chapter; Edward dumped Bella, but she was too freaked out to argue with him. She went to Seattle in a disguise to try to save a girl's life. A vampire, Alexander, took an interest in her. If you haven't guessed, he had the ability to control minds. It was useless against Bella and he found this interesting. He decided to change her into a vampire, but she kicked his ass and torched the sucker. She had a mild freak-out on the drive home. She still doesn't know that vampires exist, but she realized that Edward and Alexander were similar.

The line _My name is Death and the end is here_ is from the song _O, Death_ by Jen Titus. It's a very creepy song.

I made a poll for this story, so check out my profile and vote. I can't decide if Bella should tell the Cullens that she can see the future or if she should keep her abilities a secret.

I might have trouble updating in the near future. My exams are coming up. I apologize ahead of time.

That's all. I'll see you later.


	7. Ash And Sulphur

Hunter

I'll answer some of your questions in this chapter, but I'll also give you more questioned. Don't expect to figure out Bella's visions anytime soon. You're just going to have to be patient.

The Hunters mentioned in this chapter are the property of Supernatural's creator, Kripke. I'm just using them for your entertainment.

-

Bella's POV

Coming to school the next day was a relief. I'd never admit it to anyone, but I was scared of being alone. The only bad part about it was that Edward didn't talk to me.

I should have been thankful. I couldn't help but compare him to Alexander. However, Edward was different. His eyes were different. It was something about those eyes…

The days passed quickly. Varner still hated me, but he resolved himself to just ignoring me. I dreamt of hell and woke early in the morning, but I was handling it. I had a routine. I woke early, (usually screaming), I ate, exercised, showered, went to school, ignored Edward, came home, did homework, ate again, and went to bed. It was boring, but it was mine.

It was Friday. I'd just sat down for lunch with my group of friends. Eric and Mike still seemed too fascinated by me, but luckily, the attraction seemed to be dimming. Unfortunately, I had a new admirer by the name of Tyler Crowley. Why did the one guy I liked have to be the one who ignored me? I forced myself not to look at the Cullen table head on, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw that they weren't eating.

Again.

They'd touch the food occasionally. Edward had a habit of picking his bagel to pieces, but I never saw him once put a piece into his mouth. It made me wonder what they _did_ eat.

If I hadn't been watching Edward, I wouldn't have noticed when a pickup truck pulled into the parking lot. Edward looked through the glass door as if someone had called his name. It was just seconds later that I heard the faint sound of someone shutting their car door. I reached for my knife instinctively, carefully watching to see who it was.

My friends turned to stare at me when I gasped. "Jo?" I asked. My voice cut through the sudden lull of conversation at the stranger's appearance.

Jo, of course, spotted me immediately. "Bella?" I jumped to my feet and ran over to her. I don't know who was more surprised when I threw my arms around her. I guess I was lonelier than I thought. "Can't…breathe," she gasped.

I let go of her but kept my hands on her shoulders. Jo was only a little taller than I was. "Sorry! Man, I missed you!" I said, grinning.

Jo gawked at me. "Are we having a chick flick moment?" she asked.

I smiled. "Indeed we are. One of us should probably throw a punch."

"Me first," Jo said.

"You wish!" I laughed. I pulled her toward an empty table. I held up my hand as my new friends moved to join us. They sat down obediently.

Jo noticed. "So, been here a week and you already own everyone. That's gotta be a new record."

I smirked. "Small-town fame, it's easy to get." I leaned forward to make our conversation more private. "How did you find me?" I asked.

Jo smiled. "I was a real detective. My dad would be so proud of me." She let out a little wistful smile and continued. "Well, after everyone heard that you got out, I tried to figure out where you would go. I didn't think you would be with any friends. You're too smart for that, so I just figured I'd do a little research on your family. Your dad lived here before you died, and I knew you always hated Forks. I almost didn't think you'd be here, but then I heard the news about the girl who interrupted a grocery store robbery." Jo rolled her eyes. "Has anyone ever told you that you're insane? There were four armed guys!"

I rolled my eyes. "Please, like four morons are going to stop me. I didn't even have to use my knife!"

Jo snorted. "Well, anyway, if that wasn't enough, I picked up a trail in Seattle. Girls around age twenty had been going missing for about two weeks. The cops were clueless, but I recognized that something was up. Thing is, when I get there, I find that someone had started a fire right near where this thing had been finding its victims. Comet Tavern, ring any bells?" Jo asked, giving me a dirty look.

I pretended to look guilty, while inside I was freaking. She knew about Alexander! Maybe she knew what he was. My eyes shifted suddenly and I found myself staring directly into Edward's startled eyes. I looked away just as fast, and my old suspicions came rushing to the surface.

I was pretty sure he could hear us.

"Aw, Jo!" I whined. "I couldn't just let that thing waltz out with another girl. I've been paying close attention to the news for stuff like that."

Jo frowned. "You're not supposed to be Hunting."

I restrained myself from decking her. "It's not that simple. He was on my turf! I had to do something!"

Jo dropped her eyes and began picking at a sliver of wood on the cafeteria table. "Maybe…maybe you shouldn't Hunt anymore…ever," she whispered.

I blinked. "What?" I asked. Surely, Jo hadn't taken Renée's side. She knew how much I loved Hunting. "For Pete's sake, Jo, what are you saying? That I should quit? Move into a house with a white picket fence, marry, have 2.5 kids and live some apple pie life?" I asked shrilly. I was aware that we had an audience, so I kept my voice down.

Jo bit her lip. "It would be a lot safer. I mean, when I told my dad I was scared of the thing in my closet, he gave me a .45!"

I leaned back. "Well, what was he supposed to do?"

"I was_ nine-years-old_! He was supposed to say, 'don't be afraid of the dark.'"

I gawked. "Don't be afraid of the dark? What, are you kidding me? Of _course _you should be afraid of the dark! You know what's out there!" My eyes flicked back to the Cullen table. I locked eyes with Edward again. He stared at me, surprise etched in his expression.

"Whatever," Jo said, throwing up her hands in defeat. "You're so goddamn stubborn."

I smirked. "I know."

"I had another reason for tracking you down," Jo admitted. She reached into her own duffle bag and pulled out a laptop. Wires and circuitry stuck out the back of it. It was obviously homemade, and very familiar…

"Is that Ash's?" I asked in surprise. "He gave it to you?"

Pain flashed across Jo's face. "Ash is dead."

_Ash is dead._

My eyes widened. "That can't be, I just talked to him a few days ago."

Jo looked up and narrowed her eyes sharply. "You _talked _to him? What did he say?"

I thought back. "He said that something really awful was going to happen…something huge. I don't know, I think he was drunk. It almost sounded like he was crying. He was also paranoid, said he didn't want to talk on the line. What happened?" I asked.

Jo squinted and continued picking away at the slivers on the table. "The Roadhouse burnt down."

My eyes widened. "Is Ellen-"

"Mom's fine," Jo reassured me. "They ran out of pretzels, so she was out when it happened. The police said it was an electrical fire, but they didn't find any evidence."

My eyes flashed with disdain. "Cops," I muttered.

Jo shrugged. "They're just doing their job."

"No, they're doing _our _job, only they don't know it, so they suck at it!" I said vehemently. I took a deep breath. "How many of us are dead?"

"Three that I knew, and a few others; R.C. Adams, Olivia Lowry, Carl Bates, some guy named Jed, but they're not the only one's who've been targeted. Jim Murphy is dead too."

"Pastor Jim?" I gasped. I narrowed my eyes at her. "What's going on, Jo?"

She wouldn't look at me. "I found traces of sulphur while I was in his church. He was in his basement. His throat was slit."

Sulphur, that meant demons. I shook my head. "That's impossible. The church is on hallowed ground. There's no way that a demon could have gotten in."

Jo laughed bitterly. "You've been away for a while. The country's been going nuts. Demons are getting stronger. They're becoming immune to some weaker protective symbols, gaining new powers. In the last week, we've found evidence of over fifty active demons in the States alone."

I leaned back, the shock making me exhausted. "Fifty…" I breathed.

The fluorescent lights over us flickered and I rubbed my temples, feeling another headache starting. That couldn't be right. Demons rarely escaped from hell. There had never been more than ten a year that got out. "What could have caused this?" I asked, my voice dead.

Jo pushed the laptop forward. "That's what Ash said you'd need to figure out. He gave me his laptop just a day before the fire. He said you'd be able to figure out the password." She looked away again.

"How many times have you tried?" I asked.

She grimaced. "Just look at the hint and see if it makes any sense to you."

I opened up the homemade laptop and the screen came on. Below the place where you'd enter the password was a green button that said, 'Hint'. I clicked it and the words, 'Heed The Siren' appeared on the screen.

I leaned back. I didn't know much about sirens. They were pretty rare. All I knew was that they were some fugly sons of bitches when you looked at their reflections. I was pretty sure that they could take control of someone by using their spit, but I'd never had much experience with them.

Heed The Siren. What did that mean? Heed meant 'to give serious attention to', but I didn't think with all the other crap going on in the world that Ash would be too concerned about a siren.

A thought struck me. "Maybe it's an anagram," I murmured, remembering that Ash liked to play word games with me. I looked at the letters, switching them around in my head for something that Ash might have written.

_My name is Death and the end is here._

I jerked my hands away from the keys. It was that stupid song again. I couldn't get it out of my head. _My name is Death and the end is here. The end is here._

Heed The Siren.

"The end is here," I whispered, typing out the words simultaneously. I entered the password and the desktop appeared. "I got it!" I said excitedly.

Jo jumped. "How?"

I grinned at her. "It was an anagram. Let me guess, you spent all day reading up on sirens, huh?"

Jo grimaced again. "Whatever."

I looked at the screen. I frowned. "Seems like he erased most of the data; I hope that includes his porn." I looked at one of the icons. It was titled, 'Bella, read this'. I clicked it and stared at the screen. "Yikes! What's black and white and red all over?" I asked.

Jo looked up. "A newspaper," she answered.

My lips twitched and I spun the screen around. "Actually, it's a convent of disembowelled nuns," I corrected, showing her the gruesome picture.

Jo flinched back. "Ew! Bella!" she scolded.

I smirked. "Getting soft, Jo?" I asked, spinning the laptop around again. "Let's see here," I muttered, reading to myself. "It says in this article that the nuns were killed by a priest, but get this, the priest said he was possessed by a demon named Azazel." For some reason, the name sent shivers up my spine. I read on. "This happened in Ilchester, Maryland at St. Mary's Convent less than twenty years ago."

Jo moved over and sat beside me, reading along. "So, a priest offs eight nuns; what did that mean to Ash?"

I read on. "I don't know, but it looks like there's more here." I scrolled down and found several newspaper headlines.

_Former paraplegic runs marathon! Terminal cancer patient cured! Infertile parents give birth to twins!_

I bit my lip. If I hadn't known any better, I would have thought that Ash was researching demon deals. And I was pretty sure that that _Azazel_ guy had something to do with it.

I saw Jo look up from the corner of my eye, but I was too busy dates to care.

"Who are _they_?"

I recognized the tone, and stiffened. I looked up; already aware as to whom she was looking at. Edward wasn't looking at me anymore. He was engrossed in picking his bagel apart, pretending to eat.

"They're the Cullens. Don't worry. I checked them out. They're not a problem."

Jo looked at me in disbelief. "Are you sure?" she asked.

I smirked and tried not to think about the fact that I was probably protecting a family of monsters.

_But he saved you_.

"Those kids are so vanilla, they make vanilla seem spicy. Perfect looks. Perfect grades. Not even a speeding ticket. Oh, and their foster dad's a doctor. You should see him." I grinned. "He looks like that guy who played Detective Frank Turner in _Hollow Man 2_."

Sometimes my ability to manipulate people astounded even me. All I had to do was mention that their dad was hot, and Jo was putty in my hands. She looked back at them, not with suspicion, but with lust.

I felt a wave of jealousy wash over me as I saw she was looking at Edward. "Ew, Jo! They're in high school, you pedophile!" I laughed. "Besides, they're foster kids, and they're _together_," I said, mimicking Jessica's tone to a T.

Jo's mouth dropped open. She looked back at them and eyed Rosalie. "_Hello _doin' your sister."

I sputtered out a laugh and covered my mouth, shaking my head. I looked back at the laptop screen and scrolled down again. There were more newspaper headlines along with a list of names. Several of these had dates listed next to them. I frowned.

The bell rang and I jumped. I'd forgotten that I was still in school. "I'll see you later," I said, packing up. "I gotta go pretend to be normal for a few hours. Call me sometime, or come over."

Jo looked away. "I've gotta go. I'm meeting my mom up in Michigan. I'm already late as it is. I won't tell anyone where you are."

I snorted and stuffed Ash's laptop into my duffle bag. "Let me guess, Gordon Walker wants my head on a silver platter."

"To start with. There's also Kubrick and Creedy."

I looked up. "Kubrick? That freak! What'd I ever do to him?"

Jo shrugged. "He probably thinks it's unnatural. I gotta tell ya, kid, if the demons are getting strong enough to break out of hell in hordes, we're screwed. I mean, I wouldn't want to meet this Azazel guy in a dark alley."

I stood up. "I wouldn't want to meet him in a brightly lit candy store," I quipped. "So, is anyone on my side?"

Jo pointed at herself. "Bobby too, and your mom. My mom hasn't heard yet, I don't think, but she'll trust you."

"What about…" I snapped my fingers as I tried to recall a name. "What about that girl…Abby? She called herself Bela Talbot. I saved her life a few years ago. I own her ass."

Jo looked away, uncomfortable again. "Last I heard she's got a one-way ticket downstairs this December. I don't think she'd be much help, regardless."

I rolled my eyes. "Great, I feel so loved. It was nice seeing you again, Jo." I rushed out of the cafeteria, aware that all eyes were on me when I entered my Biology class.

I was most aware of Edward Cullen's.

-

Edward's POV

_When I told my dad I was scared of the thing in my closet, he gave me a .45!_

_Well, what was he supposed to do?_

_I was _nine-years-old_! He was supposed to say, 'don't be afraid of the dark'!_

_Don't be afraid of the dark? What, are you kidding me? Of course you should be afraid of the dark! You know what's out there!_

She knew.

I sat frozen at my desk in Biology, waiting for school to be over.

How was it possible? How could she _know?_

The thoughts from that blond girl, Jo, were nothing short of maddening. She was a very visual thinker. I saw things that couldn't be possible; men and women with black eyes, people being thrown into walls without any physical contact, people with their throats slashed and their hearts ripped out.

Hunting, what was that? Was it possible that some humans actually knew that things like us existed? How many more creatures out there did they know about?

And what did Bella have to do with it all?

When school ended, my family and I went out to the parking lot. None of us spoke. Bella rushed out to her own car and spared me a glance. She smiled as our eyes locked and my suspicions melted. She wouldn't smile at me if she knew what I was, of that I was certain.

"Now we're even," she muttered, winking at me, and my suspicions doubled.

She knew I could hear her.

Rosalie was cursing in her mind. She knew that Bella was a threat. The girl's conversation, while convoluted and riddled with confusion, was proof enough that she suspected something. When Jo had looked at us for the first time, she hadn't seen a family of beautiful teenagers; she'd seen a group of monsters.

Why had Bella defended us? Was it simply because I'd saved her life? Could she be trusted to keep her mouth shut? She hadn't seemed to have any trouble convincing her friend that we were nothing to worry about, although it was discomforting to know that she had been looking into us. In any other case, we would probably move immediately.

But how could we leave, when I didn't even know what she was thinking?

_That _was the real problem. We didn't know anything about Bella Colt. She'd appeared out of nowhere and turned our lives upside-down, as melodramatic as that sounded. She was beautiful and sarcastic, manipulative and kind. She could apparently take down four armed men without even using a knife and drove my Volvo as if she was a getaway driver. Was it actually possible that she'd learned all these things because she was fighting monsters on her off time?

"That is ridiculous," I muttered aloud. I pulled out of the parking lot and drove my family home.

Alice called Carlisle at the hospital. He rushed out to meet us. Esme took one look at our faces and knew that something was up. We waited for Carlisle in the dining room, going over everything we'd heard in the cafeteria. Bella's friend seemed to relax the second Bella mentioned that Carlisle looked like an actor she knew.

I snorted. And people thought _men _had dirty minds. The fact that she had just looked at a picture of, as Bella had put it, disembowelled nuns, had done nothing to dissuade her.

"Does this mean demons are real?" Emmett asked out of the blue. Everyone looked at him. Esme frowned, not understanding. "I mean," Emmett continued, aware of his audience's cynicism, "The way Edward's girlfriend was going on about them, it seemed like it was a big deal to them."

I didn't bother to correct his assessment of our relationship. He would probably use it against me in the future, but I couldn't care less at the moment. "Maybe," I murmured. "There are tens of thousands of legends about demons. Most of them are probably ludicrous, but still, fiction doubting fiction is hardly reasonable," I finished, smiling slightly.

Emmett seemed pleased that I was on his side. "Yeah, and maybe Bella and her friend Hunt them. That's what they called it; Hunting. Do you think that's why she was able to take down those guys from Port Angeles?"

Rosalie looked at him, confused. I remembered that we hadn't told the others about the attempted robbery. "That girl mentioned that. What was she going on about?" Jasper looked on, fascinated by Emmett's amusement.

Emmett laughed. "While we were driving to school with Bella, this announcement came on the radio. Some guys tried to rob a grocery store in Port Angeles, and the cops were looking for a girl who stopped them." He laughed again and I snickered as I heard what he was going to say. "I saw a video of it online. It was all grainy and you couldn't really see that well. One of the guys has her at gunpoint. He says something to her, but the camera couldn't pick it up." He sputtered. "She turns around, grabs his gun and knees him right in the family jewels!" He leaned back in his chair and laughed hysterically. Jasper smiled too, and the mood lifted noticeably. Even Rosalie relaxed.

Carlisle's car pulled up and I heard the confusion in his thoughts. He wasn't expecting our good moods. His presence reminded me of our situation and I sobered. He walked inside, smiling a little. "What seems to be the problem?" he asked. He looked at our faces one by one, stopping at mine. _Is it something to do with the Colt girl?_

"How did you guess?" I asked a little surprised.

_You're smiling. Lately, you've only been happy when the Colt girl is around._

I knew if I were human, I would probably be blushing. Was I really that transparent? "Yes, it does have to do with Bella," I answered for the sake of my confused family. "But, maybe you should hear all of it."

Alice looked up. "We're pretty sure Bella knows we're not human. Did your father ever mention people called _Hunters?_" she asked.

I watched as Carlisle's thoughts took him back three hundred and fifty years to London, England. He ran over everything he could remember from his human life. Most of the conversations with his father involved hunting down monsters, so there was a lot to choose from. He frowned. "I think so. Several people passed through London. They called themselves many things, but some of them said they were Hunters. They killed monsters." He looked back at us, alarmed. "What does this have to do with Bella?"

"I'll explain," I said, knowing that Carlisle would want all the facts. "A friend of hers came to school today. I caught some of her thoughts. They were very…unusual. She was running over an old book in Latin, a book of exorcisms. When she walked in, Bella called her name, Jo. Jo explained how she found Bella. Did you hear about that robbery in Port Angeles?" I asked.

Carlisle blinked. "Yes, I've heard. They were looking for a girl who stopped it." His eyes widened. "Good _Lord!_ _Bella _stopped it?"

Emmett grinned. "And _did _she! There's a video of it online. It's awesome! She took out four armed guys with her bare hands! The girl's got mad skills."

I frowned a little. "She confirmed it. It didn't seem like a big deal to her. But that's not the important part. They began discussing things that didn't make much sense. Jo was apparently headed for Seattle to deal with something. From what I could gather from her mind, she thought it was some sort of shape-shifter or siren." I shook my head, wondering again if they weren't just insane. "Bella said she had already dealt with it, whatever it was." I looked helplessly at Alice, knowing without asking that she didn't know either. Seattle was far away from us, and unless she had been watching for new arrivals in Forks, we wouldn't know what had happened. She couldn't see the past.

"They started talking about friends of theirs, other Hunters I presume, who had died." I remembered the pain on Bella's face when she'd heard that someone named _Ash_ was dead. Jo's mind had given me a brief visual of a man in his late twenties with a mullet and dressed in filthy clothes. A lingering sense made me think that he was like a big brother to her. "Jo said that demons were killing them."

"Demons?" Carlisle thought, and I caught a flash of something in his mind that made me look up. There was a boy, no older than fifteen with a book in his hands. In front of him was another boy, tied to a chair and sitting inside a strange symbol drawn on the floor with chalk. The tied up boy's eyes were entirely black.

"Exactly," I said, confirming Carlisle's thoughts. "It looked exactly like that."

Carlisle frowned solemnly. "I've only seen one exorcism like it. Most of the others were obviously victims of mental illness or epilepsy in retrospect. That was the only one that made me really believe in evil. It wouldn't stop talking. It spouted out every dirty secret imaginable, cheating spouses, murders, thieves, manipulation. It knew it all. Once the boy finished, a black cloud of smoke escaped from that poor boy's mouth and disappeared into the ground, back to hell, I suppose."

"That girl said there were over fifty demons running around," Rosalie said dully.

Carlisle's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "That's impossible! Sebastiano, the boy who exorcized the demon, said that only a handful escaped every year."

I frowned. That would explain Bella's reaction. "Bella seemed shocked, and Jo explained that they were getting stronger."

"How?" Carlisle asked. His own experiences made him immensely wary of such things. He was more likely to believe in monsters than any of us. His father had been a Hunter himself, although not very good at it from what I could tell.

"She told Bella that she needed to figure that out. She gave her a laptop, and Bella managed to figure out the password.

_The end is here_, I remembered.

"She began looking at the files and found one that seemed to be important. It had several headlines from old newspapers, stories about miracles, but also one about a priest murdered several nuns about twenty years ago."

"'What's black and white and red all over?'" Emmett quoted. "She's got a sick sense of humour to be honest."

Carlisle frowned. "What did Bella say about us?" he asked, knowing it could be the only reason we felt a need to get involved.

"Nothing," Rosalie said, sounded put out. She almost wished Bella had said something so that she would have an excuse to hurt her. I growled at her, furious.

"Nothing?" Carlisle repeated, a little perplexed. "But, if she knows there's something different about us, and if she's a Hunter, I'm quite sure she would have noticed, she _must_ have said something to her friend, at least to warn her."

"She said she'd checked up on us," Emmett said distastefully. "We are _so _vanilla, we make vanilla seem spicy." I couldn't help but smile at that. Bella _did_ have a way with words.

"Why would she-" Carlisle found himself cut off by an annoyed Rosalie.

"It's because Edward saved her. It has to be. 'Now we're even', remember?" she asked, looking angrily at me.

Alice perked up. "It's a good thing he did. Bella's reassurances were the only thing keeping that girl from looking into us. With what she's been trained to do, she would have found something, and we would have been in a lot of trouble."

"There's one thing I don't understand," Jasper added. We turned to look at him, knowing that he often had good insights about things. "If they do Hunt monsters, why didn't Bella immediately know what we were?"

That _was _a good question. Did she already know? If she did, why would she want to get anywhere near us? She'd _kissed_ me for goodness sake! Surely, that wasn't normal procedure when Hunting monsters, if such a thing could be called normal. And that girl, Jo, hadn't figured out anything. She had never come across anything like us.

"She doesn't know," Alice said. "I don't think any of them know."

"Perhaps we should leave," Jasper suggested.

"No! I don't want to move again. We're almost out of high school!" Rosalie whined.

Alice frowned heavily, watching the future spin. "I think we should stay. Bella's not going to say anything about us as far as I know. She seems…curious, but not hostile."

"Curiosity killed the cat," Emmett sang.

Alice glared at him. "Nobody's allowed to kill her. She's going to be my best friend," Alice proclaimed. Carlisle and Esme looked at her, a little alarmed. "And imagine what you'd be doing to Edward," Alice continued before I could stop her. I groaned as Emmett grinned widely.

"Shut up," I muttered.

Like a real big brother, Emmett ignored my advice. "You have to admit, man, you two make a good couple. She's tonnes of fun, and you're no fun at all."

"Has something…happened?" Carlisle asked us. Esme looked on, her thoughts putting it together much faster than her husband. I stubbornly refused to look at anyone, instead mentally visualizing what I would do to Alice's closet full of clothes if she told them.

Alice gasped and glared at me. "You wouldn't," she growled. I smirked, daring her.

"Edward's fallen for her," Rosalie said, irritation coating her voice. I glared at her and she smirked, sending me a few more insults through her thoughts.

"_Fallen_ for her?" Esme gasped. "Fallen _in love_ with her?"

I stood up, unable to sit still with my parents' hopeful thoughts. "Edward?" Carlisle asked. I ignored him, my desire to get away from them outweighed my instinctive need to be polite. I marched up to my room and turned on my music.

"He's just mad that he might kill her," Rosalie said smugly.

I tuned them out as they began to discuss my relationship with Bella.

-

Lame place to end, I know. I'm sorry this update is so late. I was sick for a few days, narvo flu or something. I've also been working on Talent Search. I have an exam tomorrow, so I have to go study. I hope this chapter isn't too confusing. I tried to explain as much as I could. Ash's laptop is important. For those of you who watch Supernatural, you might remember Azazel, or Yellow-Eyes. He's going to be a big part of this story, so pay attention.

Peter Facinelli, who plays Carlisle Cullen in the Twilight saga, also played the role of Frank Turner in Hollow Man 2. I've never seen the movie, but it seems like something Bella would have watched.

I'll see you guys later.


	8. Blackmail

Hunter

Ack! There's something wrong with fan fiction! I couldn't update Wolverine and I don't know what the matter is. I'm really ticked off about it too.

serious obsession - no, you're not sick and twisted because you laughed at the nun joke. I laughed at it too when I heard it, and I'm relatively sane.

M - I will explain the vampire-amnesia soon.

Dangwe - thanks! I'm glad you like my crossovers. Sorry, but I've actually never read Harry Potter. Shocking, isn't it? I've seen a few of the movies, though. It just seems so…complicated.

I'm back in school and I _definitely _need to get back on Adderall. (I'm a little ADD).

-

Edward's POV

Ignoring Bella was proving to be much more difficult than I'd imagined. She wasn't the type of person you _could _ignore. She always had something interesting to say, even when the subject was utterly tedious.

It didn't help that I was wretchedly in love with her.

Two weeks had gone by since Bella's friend had come to visit and we were no closer to knowing if Bella posed a threat to us. Alice said that she didn't see her doing anything in the near future, but that could always change.

It was lunchtime. Bella sat with her friends, engrossed in a conversation about future careers.

"So _what _if my grades are awesome? If I didn't want to get into the family business, I'd totally be a firefighter," she told them.

"But, you're so smart. You could be a doctor or a lawyer," Angela protested.

"Okay, for a doctor-" Bella leaned forward and held one hand up, checking off the reasons on her fingers. "I hate hospitals. And a lawyer? Are you serious? I don't want to tarnish my immortal soul. Besides, I have serious issues with the law."

"But a firefighter is so…" Mike trailed off, unable to figure out what to say. "It's like, something a little kid says they're going to grow up to be, but come on, no one _really _wants to put themselves in that much danger. You could get killed!"

Bella gave him a look that suggested she was questioning the boy's intelligence. I forced myself not to smile. "So?" she asked.

Mike gawked. Angela leaned forward. "I think it's really cool that you want to help people."

Bella shrugged. "Somebody has to."

Alice sighed. "Bella's going to look over here again."

I picked up my bagel, pulling it apart. Emmett pretended to chew on a Rice Crispy Square. We shifted in our seats. I checked Bella's expression through Jessica's eyes. She seemed confused, then she shook her head and went back to her discussion.

The bell rang and I sighed. Everyone in Mr. Molina's Biology classes was going on a field trip. It was a welcome relief from sitting beside Bella everyday. Alice and Jasper were in his morning class, so they were coming too.

I wasn't sure how Bella managed to get her mother's signature on her permission slip. I assumed forgery was involved. Just one more thing to add to the list of Weird Things Bella Does.

My irritation suddenly increased as I heard Tyler Crowley's thoughts. Jasper looked at me and shook his head. He was used to my sudden mood changes by now.

"Field trip!" Bella shouted, earning her a few strange looks. She smiled widely. "Come on, Mike, Jessica, smile! No more pencils, no more books! No more teachers' dirty looks! You ever see _The Magic School Bus?_ I _loved _that show. If all I had to do was go on field trips, I wouldn't have quit school." Her friends smiled indulgingly, but didn't comment. I felt myself grin in amusement, before I remembered the reason for my irritation earlier.

Tyler wanted to ask Bella to the prom.

I went to get my coat like a normal human and went out to the parking lot. I walked towards my family as Mr. Molina gathered up his students.

Bella stared at us, smiling distantly. She blinked as I looked back. I quickly looked away as her hand started to rise to wave at me. I saw from several viewpoints as she frowned. Tyler quickly rushed up to her. He smiled as she looked at him, aware that Mike was going with Jessica and that Eric had already struck out weeks before. He felt sure that Bella would be grateful that he was inviting her.

"Hey, Bella!"

"Tyler," she acknowledged, nodding at him. Her smile seemed genuine and I felt a sudden flash of panic. What if this average, unremarkable boy was the one she wanted? The fact that she hadn't gotten angry with him for almost killing her was insane. Could it be because she harboured feelings for him? Maybe she liked average boys.

"I wanted to ask you something," Tyler said, confidence in his voice.

In that moment, I saw the future more clearly than Alice ever had. Bella might not say yes to this boring, generic boy, but one day she would. Whether she found someone here, or waited until she was free of Forks, one day she would want someone.

I felt rage, sudden and intense, grip me. Jasper flinched away and Alice looked over at me. I stared at the back of Tyler Crowley's head and yearned to crush his skull.

Alice touched my arm. "Edward?" she questioned. I ignored her and listened to Tyler and Bella.

"Would you like to go to prom with me?" Tyler asked, full of damnable confidence.

Bella blinked and looked at his face, stunned. She gave him a sudden, tight-lipped smile that went right over Tyler's head. I recognized it for what it was, and calmed down.

"Sorry, Tyler. I can't make it," she told him.

Tyler seemed to come to his senses. He suddenly became aware that Bella wasn't looking directly at him. He twisted his head around and I saw my own face in his mind. I looked tense. I shifted automatically to stem his suspicions. "Did you already ask someone?" he questioned. The wild envy in his thoughts as he looked back and forth between Bella and I put a name to my emotions.

I was jealous.

"No," Bella protested. "I just-I'm visiting an old friend that week." I looked over at Alice as she smiled. Bella's two futures were clear in her head again.

_That was interesting. Can I talk to her now?_

"Stay out of it," I ordered, still reeling from my anger. I marched onto the bus and took a seat. Bella hopped on and sat next to Jessica. Alice and Jasper took the seat in front of me. The bus ride was mercifully short.

The garden center wasn't very interesting despite Mr. Molina's desperate attempts to entertain us. The euphoria of not sitting in a desk only lasted so long. Bella strolled around the greenhouse, smelling flowers and reading labels. She stopped when she found some freesias and inhaled deeply, smiling. For a moment, it was as if she existed in her own world.

I had to talk to her.

I walked toward her, making sure my steps could be heard. "Bella?"

She spun around, sending her scent straight into my face and reminding me why I wasn't supposed to do this. I gritted my teeth and bore it, smiling slightly. "I wanted to apologize."

For a second, shock and hope flashed across her face, before it was replaced by her usual, cocky smile. "Yeah, for what?"

"For ignoring you," I told her. We started walking through the building, heading for the exit.

"You didn't seem to be ignoring me when Tyler asked me out," she teased. She laughed at my startled expression as I wondered how she had noticed, but really, I shouldn't have been surprised. Bella noticed everything.

"Sorry."

She waved her hand in the air as if to swat the words away. "No biggie. I'm just glad you're talking to me again."

"You are?" I asked, surprised. We stepped outside and headed for the buses.

She gave me a look as if she were questioning my sanity. "_Yeah_," she reassured, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I just figured you regretted saving my life. You know, since I've been causing a lot of trouble for you and your family."

I blanched. "You think I _regret _saving you?" How absurd! Saving her life was the only decent thing I'd done.

"I _know _you do," she challenged.

For some reason, this infuriated me. "You don't know anything."

"That's because you won't talk to me. I can keep a secret, you know," she implored, her big, brown eyes telling me that I could trust her.

"Just stay out of it," I ordered.

"Don't you order _me _around, sweet heart," she said, poking me in the chest. She didn't flinch away from my cold skin as a normal person would.

"Hey, Bella," Alice called, running up to us and dragging Jasper behind her. I rolled my eyes. "Are you riding with us?"

"No, our bus is full," I said rudely. I slammed my hand on the door and walked inside. Bella stuck her tongue out at me and walked toward the other bus. "I told you to stay out of it," I reminded Alice.

"She's my friend," Alice persisted.

I grunted, choosing not to comment. I looked out my window and spied Bella sitting by herself on the other bus. She had an old, leather-bound book in her hands. She cursed and slammed it shut, mumbling something about crazy, dead men. The other students piled in and we headed back to school.

-

It was only after I had downed a third deer, that I realized I desperately wanted to see her again. I grimaced in the dark forest and tried to convince myself that I shouldn't go anywhere near her. But the thought of her in that big house, all alone…

I ran toward her house with only the purest of intentions. I would just check up on her. There was nothing wrong with that. I braced myself for the fire her scent would bring me and climbed the tree outside her open window. I looked in, ready to avert my eyes if she wasn't decent. I might have been acting like a peeping tom, but I still had standards.

Bella was asleep on her bed. She wore a warm, cotton nightgown that went down to her knees. Her covers were thrown off, half strewn on the floor. She shivered in the dark and turned over, grasping at them blindly. I waited until I was sure she was asleep before I crept inside.

Her room smelled strongly of her. Several old, leather-bound books rested on her desk, Ash's laptop sitting next to them. Bella made a low moaning sound and turned onto her back. Her lips moved slowly and she whispered something. "Renée, don't go."

She talked in her sleep.

Curiosity flared anew, fuelled by the chance to hear her unprotected thoughts through this new medium. I stayed near her window, ready to run if she stirred. In her dark room, with no children or teachers around to pretend for, I realized Bella seemed very upset. Her dreams were restless. She shifted around often. Of course, even with worry lines on her forehead, she was still radiant. Had I really once thought her average-looking? Her beauty was such an obvious thing.

I should leave, not just her room, but also this town, this country. It wasn't safe for such a fascinating girl to be around vampires, especially when she smelled so good.

She deserved someone human, and I couldn't let myself hunt him down and kill him when she finally found that person. She wouldn't care if I left, despite her statements to the contrary. I would be just another strange story to tell her Hunter friends.

"Edward," Bella moaned, startling me back into awareness. I stared at her, wondering if she was awake. But no, her eyes were still closed and her breathing still slow and even.

She was dreaming of me.

"Don't hurt him," she whispered fiercely. "I won't let you. Don't go away," she said sadly, almost in tears. "Please don't leave me alone again."

I stared at her, feeling a thousand emotions. I wanted very much to touch her, kiss her, comfort her. When something like this happened to a vampire, when they fell in love, it was permanent. I would always love this girl.

I watched as she relaxed and smiled. "Edward," my name on her lips, said like a prayer.

I stood and I plotted. I loved her, so I would have to leave her. It was the only way to keep her safe from me.

Alice had seen two futures for Bella. Death or damnation. If I killed her now, it would only be because of a horrible accident. I loved her far too much to ever hurt her that way.

Now, I finally understood the alternative. I could see myself, in unforgivable selfishness, asking my father for a favour. Ask him to take away her life and soul so I could keep her forever.

"No." The word hissed out of my mouth before I could think of stopping it. Bella, who had thus far not stirred at her own mumblings, woke instantly. She reached under her pillow and threw something. I only caught a glimpse of a knife sailing at me before I leapt out the window. I was amazed. Bella obviously hadn't been able to see me, not in the pitch darkness of her room, but her aim had been spot on. I shook my head and ran for the cover of the forest.

-

Bella's POV

I tapped my foot impatiently as I leaned against my car. I checked my watch again, disbelieving that only thirty seconds had passed since the last time I had done so. I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily.

Ash's research, while interesting, didn't explain why I was back from hell, or why demons were getting stronger. Instead, I'd found dozens of newspaper articles dedicated to finding people who had made demon deals around twenty years ago. What struck me as odd was that none of the people were dead. Demons usually came to collect after ten years and they rarely gave extra time. The only conclusion I could find was that whatever demon had done the deed wasn't looking to score a few souls for hell's football team. I shivered.

"Hey, Bella!" Eric called. He ran toward me excitedly. "Has anyone invited you to the beach this Saturday?"

"No," I said. _But I guess I'm going to be._

Eric smiled. "Would you like to come? Everybody's going."

I shrugged. "Sure, I got nothing better to do."

"Great! I'll see you there." He ran off, presumably to invite more people. I wondered which beach he was referring to.

A familiar car rumbled into the parking lot. Edward Cullen and his family had arrived.

Just as he and his family got out of his car, I slammed a ripped piece of Edward's cadet blue pea coat onto the top of it. "You were in my room last night," I said, smirking.

My aim was very good. While I hadn't managed to hit him in the darkness, my knife had snagged his coat sleeve. I recognized the fabric far more quickly than was normal. I really was obsessed with this guy.

I watched as Edward composed himself, getting ready to lie. "What are you talking about?"

I leaned back against the back car door, aware that Alice stood directly behind me. Edward's eyes snapped up to her face and I saw a flash of betrayal on his face.

"I'm talking about me waking up to find that you were in my room, listening to me sleep talk. Yeah, I know I do it!" I confessed as his eyebrows shot up. I started to let my anger slip out "Are you frigging stupid? Seriously, dude…_stalking?_" I smirked again. "You know if you wanted to be alone in my room with me, all you had to do was ask."

For a second, Edward's mouth hung open in astonishment. He shut it with a snap and motioned for his family to split. Aside from Alice, they seemed only too pleased to get away from the crazy girl and their brother. "Bella, what you're saying is ridiculous. I was at home all night."

"I have proof." My hand reached for the fabric I'd left on the car only to find it gone. I saw Edward's face relax in amusement before he caught the look in my eye. "I knew you would do that, so I cut it in half. To earn the other piece, you're going to buy me lunch, and we're going to have a civil conversation."

"Or else?" Edward asked warily.

"Or else I tell the cops you've been stalking me."

"You're _blackmailing _me?" he asked. Disbelief coloured his tone.

I eased myself off his car and stood up straight. "Blackmail is such an ugly word, but basically, yeah. That's what I'm doing."

Edward stared at me incredulously. "Why not just report me right away?" he asked.

I laughed. "Because you've got a nice ass. I'll see you at lunch, Edward." I brushed my fingers along his shoulder as I went inside.

Morning passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was lunchtime. Edward sat at an empty table with a tray full of food in front of him. His family stared at me from their usual spot. Rosalie in particular seemed to be having trouble not laughing.

I strolled over to him and sat down. He gave me a guarded look. "Don't you think that blackmail is a bit extreme?"

I grabbed the French fries from his tray and shrugged. "Not really. You're kind of impossible to deal with without the use of threats and manipulation."

"You could have just asked me."

I shrugged. "This way is more fun."

Edward snickered unwillingly. I kept eating. Edward reached for his bagel. I reached out and grabbed his cold hand. "You don't have to pretend to eat. Honestly, have you ever thought of just hanging out at the library or off campus during lunch? That's what I did when I didn't have money for lunch."

Edward averted his eyes. "We _try_ to blend in," he muttered.

I smiled. "You don't succeed. So, what's your favourite movie?"

He looked up, disbelief clear on his face. "Aren't you going to drill me about all my…quirks?"

I held up a French fry and took a bite. "Do you want me to?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Not really."

I shrugged. "Fair enough. Anything to do with your weirdness is taboo. So, seriously, what kinds of movies do you like?"

Edward blinked several times and shook his head. "You're _not _going to blackmail me into telling you all my secrets?"

"Would you tell me the truth?" I deadpanned.

He stared at me. "No, not likely."

I shrugged. "Okay. Movies. Go."

"Why do you want to know?"

I leaned back, exasperated. "Dude! This isn't the Spanish Inquisition!"

"The Spanish Inquisition _was_ established by a woman named Isabella in 1478," he commented wryly.

I glared at him. "First off; her name was Ysabel, with a _y_, and second; if torture is the only way you'll tell me what you like to do, I'll go grab my knives." I made to stand up when his hand shot out to stop me.

"No, I'm sorry. I'll tell you. I was just…worried."

I sat back down and gave him a sympathizing look. "Worried I would expose you to the world or some other such nonsense? Dude, do you have _any _idea what century this is? Nobody believes in monsters anymore, and if you do, you're a total nut job."

"You seem to believe in them," he pointed out. "By that logic, you're a total nut job." He smiled crookedly as he said the last words.

I shrugged. "Oh, probably. I mean, not many people go out looking for monsters."

He frowned. "So, there are _really _demons out there?"

I shuddered. "Yeah, definitely."

"Werewolves, shape shifters, sirens?" he continued.

I nodded. "If it makes you feel better, Bigfoot's a hoax."

"It doesn't."

I tilted my head back and forth. "I tried. That's what matters. You know, if you're not going to tell me what you like, I'll start. My favourite movie is _The Usual Suspects_."

Edward blinked and smiled. "That's an interesting movie."

I leaned forward and smiled. "I love a good con."

He clenched his hands together and answered my question. "I like _The Dark Knight_. It's probably the best movie I've seen lately."

I looked up at the ceiling and ate another fry. "Not bad. I found Heath Ledger's performance outstanding. He struck me as a realistic psychopath. Aaron Eckhart's Two-face look was the creepiest version I've ever seen. The dialogue was good. The plot was interesting. I really wish I could have seen it in theatres."

"You were…Hunting when it came out?" he asked, none too subtly.

I grinned at him. "Oooh, so _you _can ask any questions about my personal life, but _I _need to threaten you with torture just to get a straight answer."

Edward shrugged. "Yes, basically." I laughed and grabbed a few more fries. "Your friends are mad at me for stealing you."

I looked back at my friends and turned away shaking my head. "Don't worry about them. I'll make something up later. Or I could just tell them that I'm trying to get you to make out with me," I suggested offhandedly.

Edward sputtered out a few sounds that were obviously meant to be words before he cleared his throat. "Why would you tell them that?"

"I have been lying a _lot _lately. It would be nice to tell the truth for once."

"You want to…" He cleared his throat and looked away guiltily.

"_Yeah_," I said, as if it were obvious. "You wanted to kill me that first day, but you didn't, so you're obviously kind-hearted. It's sweet."

"It's _sweet _that I didn't kill you?" Edward questioned. I decided to give the poor guy a break.

"I meet a lot of not so nice things. Believe me, none of those guys like to make nice with humans. You're a real anomaly. And you really do have a nice ass."

"What makes you think I _don't _kill people?" he asked. He wasn't denying that he was something else. That was a step forward.

"There haven't been any mysterious deaths since you guys moved here. In fact, the only thing that seems to have happened is that the animal population has dropped."

I watched as his eyes widened for a millisecond before he relaxed. "So, since I don't kill people…"

"I don't need to kill you."

Edward grinned. "What makes you think you could?" he asked. "You don't even know what I am."

"No," I conceded. "I don't know what you are, but I know how to kill your kind. I've done it before."

Edward's smile vanished. He looked over at his family. I saw that they were listening to our conversation intensely. Rosalie, in particular, looked nervous. Alice seemed a bit putout. She touched Jasper's arm gently. I wondered about that guy. He reminded me of some of the veterans I'd met. He went out to war, but not all of him came back.

"At least, I _think _he was like you. His eyes were different, though."

Edward went very still. "What happened exactly?"

"What kind of music do you like?"

Edward gave me an exasperated look. "If I tell you, will you tell me what happened?"

"Can't hurt your chances." I smiled cheekily.

"I like music from the fifties. I can barely stand eighties music. I prefer indie rock to mainstream. I like classical, jazz, progressive metal, alternative rock, punk rock, but I hate country. Now, what's this about you killing something like me?"

I stored this information for later and started to explain. "I went to a bar a few weeks ago," I said, glossing over any details of my visions. "I was just hanging out, having some whiskey, when this guy sat next to me. I knew there was something off about him, so I talked to him for a little. His eyes were red." I drifted back to that day. I was blond, in a pink shirt, and flirting with a monster.

"What did you talk about?" Edward voice and eyes were very serious.

I twined a strand of my hair around my finger and stared at the ceiling. "I asked him if he was new in town. He said he had dropped by for a snack. From the way he said it, I figured he wasn't talking about some M&Ms."

Edward's mouth twisted into something resembling a smile.

"I told him that my boyfriend dumped me. Don't give me that look!" I ordered when he smirked. "It sure as hell felt like you were dumping me!" I stuffed a few more fries into my mouth. "So anyway, I told him I was training to be a profiler for the F.B.I. and he asked me to profile him. I gave him his life story. It was pretty sad. I think I made him cry," I said.

Edward snorted and looked back at his family. "What happened next?"

I shrugged. "He invited me to go with him. Once we got into the alley, he shoved me against the wall."

Edward stiffened, his fists tightening. "Did he hurt you?"

"Worse; he kissed me."

He blinked. "What?" he asked, his voice a low growl.

I nodded. "I know. As if I need _another _reason for therapy. Then he said something about eternity, and that's when I cut his head off. I don't know if you guys are immortal or not, but I have serious issues with commitment. Eternity is way too long to be with someone you don't even like."

"You cut his head off?" Edward asked, aghast. "That's impossible."

"You know what I thought was impossible? Having a decapitated guy grab me when I started to walk away. I had to light the guy on fire just to get him off me. That was so freaky!"

Edward leaned back and stared at me. "How did you cut his head off? Our skin is very…" He trailed off.

"Hard?" I supplied. "It's complicated. See, my ancestors discovered that if you douse a weapon in demon blood, you could make it more dangerous. You know, butter knives cutting through steel, or bullets making trees explode. That's pretty cool actually. I should show you sometime." Edward stared blankly at me. I decided to be a little clearer. "My knife, you know the one I threw at you last night? It's been affected by demon blood. It can cut through pretty much anything."

"Why would-" He stumbled over the word. "_Demon blood_ affect things like that?"

_Why?_ No one had ever asked that before. They'd simply been grateful that they had a weapon that could kill anything. Well, almost anything. Demon weapons couldn't kill demons. However, I had some insights on demons that no one else I knew did. I knew how they were made.

"Demons are just…they're carnage in a meat suit. All they want is death and destruction for its own sake. They're behind thousands of horrible things. They can influence people to kill others or they can cause natural disasters. One demon I fought, he used to bring down planes. Thousands of people died every month because of this guy. All their hate and pain just gets turned into power, and even a drop of it can make you invincible."

The bell rang, startling me out of my thoughts. I grimaced and glared at the ceiling where the speaker was. The lights flickered, irritating me. I felt another head ache start to build.

"We're you _really _going to tell the police about me?" Edward asked suddenly.

I grinned and rubbed my temple. "Hell no! You're too pretty for prison. If you're going to be anyone's bitch, you're gonna be mine."

He covered his mouth as he laughed. "Can I have that piece of my jacket back, please?"

I smirked and lifted my bag onto the table. I looked back and forth, checking to see if anyone was looking at me. The coast was clear, aside from the other Cullens. I slipped my hand down my shirt, into my bra and pulled out the cadet blue fabric. I threw it down on the table and stood up.

"Please tell me you didn't…" He stared at the cloth as if it might bite him. He made no move to pick it up.

I laughed. "I was really hoping this conversation would get more interesting so that _you_ could find it. Oh well. Maybe next time. Are you coming?"

"I'm skipping Biology today," he told me, still not looking away from the offending fabric.

I shrugged. "Whatever. I'll see you later, Superman." I blew him a kiss and headed for class.

-

Okay, this was fun. I am going to get so many people mad at me for leaving them like this, but I'm at ten pages already and I need to save some ideas for next chapter.

I'll see you later.


	9. Bloody Legends

Hunter

Did you miss me, my patient readers? Guess who's back and better than ever! It is I, your King!

I just finished _Wolverine _a little while ago and decided it was about time I got back into the swing of things. Just to let you all know, I _never _leave a story hanging without the intension to complete it. That goes double for _Talent Search._ After I finish this chapter, I think I'll continue writing that next.

For those of you who haven't heard, someone nominated this story and _Talent Search _for another contest. Here's the website: www(dot)bringmetolifeawards(dot)weebly(dot)com. Feel free to vote for me! (Hey, that rhymed!)

All right, enough of this boring chitchat. It's time to get to the story.

Here's chapter nine.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH _(Scene divider)

Bella's POV

I headed to class, head _pounding_, and slipped inside the room.

Immediately, I was aware of the smell. Rotten eggs. Sulphur. Fire and brimstone. I sniffed hesitantly, my eyes scanning the room for threats, and wondered how I could slip the word _Cristo_ into a conversation without sounding even crazier than normal. _Cristo _was Latin for Christ. Any demon in the vicinity would flinch at the name, and their eyes would turn black.

A second later, I realized how stupid I was.

It was a _science class_, and like most science classes, it contained a chemistry lab. Obviously, someone forgot to air out the room over lunchtime after a completely normal experiment took place. There were no demons in Forks.

I breathed a sigh of relief and sat down at my empty table. My headache worsened as the smell pervaded my nostrils, but there wasn't much I could do about it, short of skipping class.

"Hey, Bella!" Mike hurried over to my table with an eager smile. Underneath the happy-go-lucky charade, I could see his jealousy.

Damn it! And I thought he and Jessica were hitting it off.

"You're still coming to La Push this Saturday, right?" he asked.

_La Push_…I searched my mind for a memory and smiled. "Oh, the beach on the reservation? Yeah, I'll be there." I gave him a fake smile. "Maybe I'll invite Edward," I added, just to crush any residual hopes he might have about getting with me.

The light in his eyes dimmed. "Sure, I guess," he answered dejectedly. "I'll see you there."

I gave him a little wave and then my forehead collided with my desktop. "Ow," I murmured into the wood. I rubbed my head as I looked up.

Mr Molina entered the classroom, and I realized I should have ditched.

In his hands, he held several cardboard boxes. In each box sat a blood typing kit.

Normally, I was okay with blood. As a Hunter, you got used to it. I knew how to clean and stitch wounds before I started kindergarten. The smell always bothered me though, because I always associated it with Mom. The backseat of the Impala was coated with bloodstains from our less successful hunts. I knew every story behind every one.

Like I said, normally I was okay with it, but not then.

Not with sulphur filling the air.

Not with my head aching and the lights flickering.

Not since I got out.

The teacher's voice faded. _Everything_ faded. I wasn't in class anymore.

I was in hell.

It was so dark. So cold. Why did everyone think that hell was hot? There was no fire to bathe the damned. The only warmth came from the blood that ran down my arms, my legs, my chest.

"_Beeeelllllaaa," _something whispered, its rotting lips pressed against my ear. _"Do you want to get down? Say the word. Take the knife. You won't last much longer if this goes on."_

My body shook as the pain, the cold, the _fear_ burst out of me. I opened my mouth, my lips cracked open and blood dripped onto my tongue as I spoke. _"That's what I'm counting on."_ I stretched my lips - ignoring how much it stung - until it looked like I was smiling.

"Bella? Are you all right?"

I jerked out of my stupor and found myself face-to-face with Mr Molina.

I nodded automatically, but that just made my head hurt that much more. "I think I need to leave," I finally answered.

I didn't wait for his reply. I ran.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Edward's POV

I was sitting in my car when Bella dashed out into the parking lot. For a second, I wondered if she had chosen to join me, but I quickly realized that she was in distress. She ran to her car and slid underneath the hulking vehicle. My surprise doubled as I looked back toward the door. Mike Newton stood there, searching blindly for the girl.

_Where did she go? Her car's still here. Man, Mr Molina is gonna be so pissed…I wonder if I could get something from the vending machine before I go back to class…_

I tuned him out as he went back inside and got out of my car. I crouched down and looked at Bella's shivering form. What was she _doing _under there? It was far too cold for her tastes.

"Bella?" I questioned, not wanting to scare her.

She shivered, but otherwise didn't move.

"Are you alright?"

"Go away Edward."

_Edward_, not Superman, or any other sobriquet she usually gave people. What was wrong with her?

I pulled off my jacket and slid it over to her as I saw her shiver again. "You can give it back later. I don't want you to catch a cold," I explained.

She looked at the jacket, now muddy and wet, and then looked at me. She smiled faintly. "Thanks, Superman."

I smiled back, unreasonably pleased by her use of the stupid nickname. "You're most welcome."

She laughed and slid out from underneath her car. Her hair was matted with mud on one side. Her clothes were a mess…and I could swear that those were tear marks on her cheeks.

I decided not to mention them. Bella might've actually hit me if I did, and I didn't want her to hurt herself.

She ran a hand through her hair and made a face as she realized what a mess it was. "Damn, I better go home and shower." She started to turn away, and then stopped. "Hey, you wanna go to La Push this Saturday?"

The question caught me off guard. I remembered Eric Yorkie asking her about a beach trip just before we arrived at school this morning.

Damn. Of all the beaches, she had to choose the one that I couldn't go on.

"Sorry," I answered. "I'd love to go." She had no idea how _much_ I wanted to stay with her. "But my family and I are busy this weekend. Maybe we could get together some other time?" I asked hopefully.

She looked at me suspiciously, as if trying to gauge whether I was telling the truth. After a moment, she looked away. "Whatever. I'll see you around." She waved at me as she got into her car and drove away.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

I didn't bother going to school the next day, but I did call to apologize for leaving during the middle of class. I needn't have bothered. According to Mr Molina, I looked like I was about to lose my lunch. Mrs Cope told me that it was fine.

Therefore, I had a three-day-weekend.

By Friday night, I had over ten messages from friends asking if I was still coming to the beach. I figured, what the hell? It wasn't like I had anything better to do.

Early Saturday morning, I dressed in three layers of shirts, plus my leather jacket, and my thick blue jeans.

Then I headed for the beach.

I wonder if anyone else caught the utter ridiculousness of that.

Beaches were supposed to be hot and sunny. La Push happened to be a strip of land that bordered on a large quantity of water. In everyway that counted, it was not a beach. I did not build a sandcastle. I did not wear a bathing suit. And I did _not! Get! A! Tan!_

As I arrived, I parked my car as close to the exiting path as I could. You never knew when you had to make a quick getaway. Besides, I wasn't going to risk getting sand on the tires if I could help it.

I spotted a bonfire and saw that the party was in full swing. The guys were down near the water, playing chicken with the waves. Angela and Jessica were parked as close to the fire as they could get. In spite of the heat, they were huddled under a thick wool blanket. I rolled my eyes and strode over to them.

"So, Mike got me this cheap perfume, and I mean _cheap!_ It's probably like $3.99 or something. Can you _believe_ that?" Jessica whined.

Angela shrugged her shoulders. "Men don't know much about things like that, Jess. I think it's nice that he bought you something without you having to ask. Most guys wouldn't be caught dead buying perfume for their girlfriend."

"Or maybe he's just hoping I'll break up with him so that he can go after Miss I'm-So-Awesome! Not that he'd have a chance against Edward," Jessica grumbled.

I decided it was time to interrupt their little heart-to-heart.

"Hey, guys!" I said cheerily. Both of them jumped and spun around as I approached. "Ain't it a grand day? The sun's shining. The grass is green. There's not a cloud in the sky!" I gestured up to the menacing, dark grey overcast that hung above our heads.

Angela chuckled good-naturedly. "I know. It's not exactly one of Mike's brightest ideas. Still, there's whale-watching."

I sat down on the log opposite them and crossed my arms over my thighs. "Did you know that they use whale vomit in some fancy perfumes?"

Jessica's eyes widened and her lip curled back in disgust. "_What_ are you _talking_ about?"

I shrugged, as if this was an everyday conversation. "You know, whales produce this waxy oil that protects their stomach lining and intestines. It's called ambergris. Though sometimes they don't throw it up. Sometimes it comes out the other way."

Jessica's face turned a pale green and she brought a hand up to her mouth.

"What kind of perfume do you wear, Jess?" I asked.

As if I couldn't guess.

"Well, anyway," I continued when I was sure that she wasn't going to answer. "Mr Molina was talking about it in Biology a little while ago. Mike just about had a fit! He muttered something about having to return something to the store. I saw the receipt - and _man_ - I didn't know they made perfume that costs over a hundred and fifty dollars. Did you?"

Angela seemed to have caught on to what I was doing, for she started to literally shake with laughter. Jessica was oblivious to her friend's condition. She stared longingly at Mike as he pushed Eric into the freezing water and laughed hysterically.

I shook my head. My work was done.

I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and looked up, tensed and ready for anything. My knife was nestled safely in my pocket and I had a Jericho 941 F 9 mm semi-automatic pistol on the inside pocket of my jacket. I also had some salt and holy water on me, just in case.

I relaxed when I realized it was just some kids from the reservation. There were six of them, three of which were very tall and brawny. The other three were smaller, younger, and not nearly as tense.

Then the biggest of the six flared his nostrils and locked eyes with me.

His actions were so animal-like that I found myself studying him like a Hunter, even more so than usual.

There was something off about him.

I broke my gaze off to look at the two boys beside him. They stood almost as if they were flanking him, something I'd done with my mother and the other Hunters we associated with. If I had to guess their rank, I'd say that the big guy was the Captain, the guy on his left was his First Lieutenant, and the angry guy on his right was his Second Lieutenant. The three little guys barely qualified as Privates. They were just along for the ride.

Angela noticed them next and waved. "Hey, what's up?" she called in greeting.

The boys took this as an invitation to sit down around the fire. Mike, Eric, and Tyler saw and ran over to meet them, pushing and shoving and roughhousing as much as they could on the way over.

I gave the big guy a wide berth, but I felt his eyes on me the whole time.

They introduced themselves and I made sure I remembered everything.

The big guy was Sam Uley, a nineteen-year-old high-school dropout. His First Lieutenant was Jared. His Second Lieutenant was Paul. The three little guys were Quil Ateara, Embry Call, and Jacob Black.

"Black?" I repeated, the name triggering a memory from long ago. "As in William Black's son?"

The boy in question gave me a cautious smile. "Yeah, that's me. Um…what's your name?"

I figured that was _who-the-hell-are-you? _in polite-speak.

I held out my hand, avoiding the fire. "Bella Colt. My mom and your dad were friends back in the day."

Back in the day, of course, meant the year Renée turned nineteen and went on her first solo Hunt in Port Angeles, where she met her future husband. Charlie and Billy were already good friends, and what with Quileute superstition still ripe in Billy's mind, it was easy for Renée and him to get along. As far as I knew, Billy was the only connection she'd had with the supernatural world after her parents died and she quit Hunting forever.

That is, until a demon paid a visit to my nursery.

"Oh!" Jacob's face lit up. "Yeah, I remember you now. You're Chief Swan's daughter." His face contorted into chagrin as he realized what he'd said. "I'm sorry about your loss," he finished dumbly.

I waved my hand in the air as if swatting flies. "Don't sweat it. It was years ago. How's Billy?"

Jacob blushed and looked down. "Well…he's kind of in a wheelchair now…diabetes and all…"

For a second, nobody seemed to know what to say, then Jessica sighed. "Well, _this _is depressing. It's too bad Edward couldn't come, eh, Bella?" She grinned slyly at me and winked.

"Edward?" Jared repeated stiffly. "Cullen?"

I nodded silently, not liking the way he said their name. Something was up.

"Yeah," Mike chipped in. "Bella said she was gonna invite him. Did you get the chance?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I asked, but he had plans with his family."

"The Cullens don't come here," said Sam. His gaze stayed fixed on me and I saw him sniff the air again. His eyes flickered to my jeans for just a half-second and I suddenly knew that he _knew _about my knife, and probably my gun. And not just that he knew they were there.

The others turned back to their own conversations, and Sam's strange behaviour was forgotten.

I didn't forget, though. I looked at him, watching as the flames danced in his dark eyes. He looked back at me, sombre and eerily calm.

He's dangerous, I decided. Very dangerous.

But guess what, Sammy?

So am I.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

As the day wore on, we split up into smaller groups. That made it easier to get Jacob alone.

"Mind if I steal him for a minute, boys?" I asked Quil and Embry with a wry grin. I wrapped an arm around Jacob's shoulders and patted his chest. "I figured we could reminisce about our childhoods."

Jacob's friends were caught off guard, but shot Jacob two equally mischievous grins. "No problem, Bella. Have fun, Jake!" Quil said, laughing.

I dragged Jacob away before he could protest. He was tense under my arm so I released him. Once the others were out of sight, I turned to him. "So, what's up with Sam and the Cullens?"

"Huh? Oh, that," he replied, looking down at his feet and blushing furiously. "It's complicated and kind of stupid actually."

"Don't tell me. Did Dr McDreamy break his mom's heart?" I asked playfully.

"No!" he objected, as if offended. "No, nothing like that," he continued in a softer tone. "It just that…there are these old stories. Quileute legends and all. I'm not really supposed to talk about it."

"I can keep a secret," I answered, smirking internally. If only he knew…

Jacob seemed lost in thought. Finally, he made a decision. "Did you know that Quileutes are supposedly descended from…_wolves?_"

I studied him carefully as he spoke. "Wolves, huh?"

"Not the wolves you're thinking of. We come from the wolves that turn into men. Your people would call them werewolves," he explained.

Werewolves?

Unconsciously, I rubbed my left arm just above the elbow. When I was eleven, still too young to Hunt - and in a town where you couldn't leave a thirteen-year-old home alone for more than an hour without social services barging through your door - Renée was on a Hunt for a werewolf.

The lore about silver bullets was crap. The only way to kill a werewolf was to destroy their heart with a weapon powered by demon blood.

Needless to say, the Hunt went bad. I was stuck in the car, waiting for Renée to come back. I looked up, and there was a werewolf trying to take a bite out of my mom.

Me - being impulsive and overprotective and dumber than a pile of rocks - unlocked the door and ran toward it with only my knife and desperation on my side. The werewolf knocked me away, no sweat, but I distracted it long enough for Renée to shoot the mother right through the heart. I came out of it with a broken arm and had to stay with Pastor Jim for the rest of the summer while it healed. It used to hurt in the cold sometimes, but since I got out…

I shook those thoughts away. "And what does this have to do with the Cullens?" I pressed, trying not to sound too eager.

"Well…" Jacob began, drawing out the word as he thought of what to say. He turned to me and grinned. "Do you like scary stories?"

Kid, my whole _life _is a damned scary story.

I grinned back. "I _love_ them."

We stopped in front of a few large stones and sat down. Jacob thought for a moment before he began.

"According to my father, the Chief of our tribe…" He glanced at me quickly as he told me this, possibly hoping to see awe in my expression. I did my best to appease him. He smiled and kept speaking. "Quileutes have always had magic in our blood."

"A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away," he continued jokingly, "My ancestors were Great Spirit Warriors - shape-shifters. Their power allowed them to turn into wolves to scare off their enemies and protect the tribe."

"One day, the warriors came across…a creature," he whispered. I leaned in closer, listening with rapt attention. "It looked like a man, but it was hard, like rocks, and cold as ice."

Jacob tapped the stone he sat on to demonstrate, but I barely noticed. I remembered Alexander's cold, hard body pressed against me, and then I remembered Edward's cold, hard skin when I kissed him.

I suddenly wasn't sure if I wanted to know anymore.

"The creature killed two children from the tribe, so the Spirit Warriors attacked it. Their sharp teeth tore into the creature, ripping it apart…"

I remembered how my knife slid through Alexander's throat, and I suddenly knew what Jacob would say next.

"…but only fire could completely destroy it."

I shut my eyes as I desperately tried to block out the image of Alexander's burning corpse.

Jacob kept going, oblivious to my discomfort. "They lived in fear that the cold man was not alone…and they were right."

"The woman took her vengeance, slaughtered everyone who got in her way. The Chief, Taha-Aki, was the only Spirit-Warrior left after his son was killed. He was old and frail, but his fury made him powerful, and he charged at the woman. Soon though, he weakened. There was no one to help him…"

"…no one but his wife."

I could see it all; the fighting, the bloodshed, it flashed behind my lids like a wonderful, horrible movie.

"She was nothing but a human, with no powers like her husband and son, but she did have one thing…"

I opened my eyes and saw Jacob looking at me. I couldn't control my expression, so I knew he must've seen my horror. "What?" I questioned.

"Courage," he finished. "She plunged a knife into her stomach and the smell of her blood distracted the creature long enough for her husband to destroy it. Her sacrifice saved the tribe."

I took a deep breath. "And what does this have to do with the Cullens?"

Jacob smiled. "Years later, centuries in fact, my great-grandfather stumbled upon a new family of these creatures, only they were different. Their eyes didn't burn red, and they spoke like men. They didn't hunt and kill humans, and they did not want to hurt the Quileutes, so my great-grandfather saw no reason to destroy them. As long as they stay off our land."

"So, the Cullens, they're like the creatures your great-grandfather met? The good ones?"

"No," he answered, and then he grinned. "They're the _same ones._"

_It'll hurt, but I'll have eternity to make it up to you._

"But, what _are they?_" I pestered.

Jacob shifted his legs and drew a line in the sand with his finger. "Our people call them Cold Ones, but your people call them vampires."

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Well, I think this should do for now. I gotta go get started on the next chapter for _Talent Search_ and the next chapter for _Hunter_. Even _I _think this cliff-hanger is cruel.

Adieu, my faithful readers.


	10. Secrets Revealed

Hunter

Hey, guys! How's everything going? I know you've all waited patiently for _The Big Reveal_, so I will attempt to make this as awesome as possible.

I just bought a new MP3 and I'm going to Canada's Wonderland in a few days. On top of that, I get to go pick up my brand new contact lenses tomorrow! Squeal! I'm gonna be lookin' _fine!_

Thank you for all the reviews, and here's chapter ten.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

The second the party ended, I raced home. I broke about ten traffic laws, and made it back in record time. After parking the car haphazardly in the driveway, I ran into the living room, switched on the lamp that sat on the end table, and dropped to my knees. My hands were quick and precise as I sifted through the mountain of unread journals, looking for the one that held the answers.

After a minute of searching, I found it.

_Nicolette Colt_, it read in elegant handwriting. It was an older book, and so it had been restored many times over the years.

But the stories were the same.

I opened it up and looked at the dates, marvelling at how long ago this was written.

1671 was the first marked date, and the last was 1702.

Renée always said that every family tree had their nuts. The outcasts or the oddballs that people whispered and laughed about. Nicolette Colt was our nut. She was born somewhere in France, in the year 1642, most likely in July because her father wrote about _The Siege of Hull _after he mentioned her birth.

She married and gave birth to a son, Elias, when she was fifteen. Her husband died on a Hunt soon after.

She died at age sixty, and nobody, not even our open-minded Hunting family, believed in what killed her.

Vampires.

I turned to the first pages of her journal. It was in Latin, so I struggled to calm myself down so that I could translate it properly.

_There is no God._

I bit my lip, wondering if I got it wrong, and read the ancient words again.

_Illic est haud Deus._

No, that was right.

_There is no God. There is no Devine Being watching over us, caring and loving us as a mother loves her children. If we are so loved, so cherished, then why do I sit here now, alone, my son turned to ashes?_

_I know now that if he _does _exist, it is merely to torment us. He has taken everything from me. My husband, my child, only fourteen-years-old._

_The work of the Devil, they say. What? This petty creature who lives in the bowels of Hell has killed one of God's greatest creations? How, I ask? How powerful could the beast be if it can destroy an angel? How could God, in all his wisdom and love, create something so vicious and evil? How could he let it do such things?_

_The priests will say that I should go to hell for saying this, but perhaps God is not as powerful as we believe. Or maybe he just doesn't care about us. Perhaps he loves his son more than us, and that is why he is too weak to destroy it._

_Fine, I will go to hell. I will swim through an ocean of fire until I find God's rebellious child, and then I will tear into it with my bare hands! I will bathe in its unholy blood! Lucifer is no match for me! I love my son far more than my so-called God could ever dream. I will do what he has failed to do. In my love for humanity, I will kill the Devil!_

I blinked several times and rereadthe last paragraph.

"Wow, this chick is a total badass!" I breathed in awe.

Quickly, I turned the page.

_I cannot bear to sleep anymore. In my dreams, I see my baby boy crying out to me._

_I still remember the recoil of the gun when I fired it at his beautiful face, hoping to kill him as quickly as possible so that his pain would end._

_That memory is almost as horrible as those eyes._

_Like Hellfire, they were. Glowing red and staring right at me as the creature devoured my darling boy's blood. I remember charging at it, watching its mouth turn up into a smile and knowing that I would be its next meal if I did not kill it now. In desperation, I drew my sword. It had been bathed in the blood of the damned, so it cut easily through the rock-hard creature's pale chest. It dropped to the ground and I hacked at it, chopping its bloodless body to bits. If anyone had tried to stop me, I would have done the same to them._

_When I could barely move my arms, I took my gas lamp and through it at the pieces. Then I watched until it burnt to ashes._

_My baby woke up soon after, screaming that his skin was burning. I held him, trying to comfort him, praying that the pain would end, but I could see what was happening. He was too pale, too cold, too much like the creature. I sobbed into his hair and told him how much I loved him, how I would make the pain go away._

_I do not know if he understood a word, but at the end, when I loaded my rifle, he smiled at me with gratitude. I will never stop seeing that smile. It will haunt me to the grave. My only source of comfort is knowing that I will see him in the afterlife, even if I am sent to Hell. I will claw my way out and barge through the gates of Heaven. I will kill an archangel if it means seeing my boy again._

_Take heed, for I am Your creation, Lord, and I am coming._

I barely processed the end of her entry. All I could see were the burning, red eyes that she and Jacob had mentioned. I remembered Alexander's eyes with perfect clarity, and I knew exactly what Nicolette saw when she came upon her dying son and his murderer.

Their pale, hard skin. Their burning red eyes. Their lust for…blood?

"_I'm skipping Biology today." _Edward's voice echoed in my mind. I remembered seeing the lancets in the blood-typing kit. I remembered the smell of the blood…

"Oh my god," I whispered. The journal dropped out of my hands and slammed shut.

Had he known? Had he known about the blood-typing? Aside from the first week after I arrived, I never saw any of the Cullens skip class. It was too much of a coincidence.

Well, I didn't have any other explanation. He didn't fit any other myth to my knowledge.

Was it possible that I had fallen in love with a vampire?

I blinked.

"Where did _that _come from?" I asked. The empty room gave no reply.

There were a lot of things Hunters couldn't do. First and foremost, we couldn't tell anyone about our world unless we were saving them from it, and even then, it was better to give people crackpot excuses than to give them a _"The Truth Is Out There"_ speech. Humanity wasn't ready to find out that all their nightmares were real.

The other rules consisted of not getting caught by police, and taking reasonable steps not to hurt any humans while Hunting a monster. It was the whole _staring into the abyss_ thing.

As far as I knew, no one had ever told me that I couldn't fall in love with a monster, but it was probably frowned upon.

I stopped that line of thought. _Was _Edward a monster? He certainly didn't act like one. He was polite and a little out of touch, but I didn't think that he was evil. I was a good judge of character, so I knew he wasn't a bad guy. My vision from weeks ago, the one involving the van, told me that he was willing to risk his secret to protect me.

But then…

Another memory assaulted me, the one about the security guard. I'd assumed that Edward and his family only ate animals, but maybe their tastes weren't so limited. Perhaps it was some sort of monthly indulgence.

No, I didn't believe that. But still, what else could've killed him?

And Edward, he wasn't a perfect gentleman. He'd snuck into my room at least once. Still, the way he looked at me sometimes…

_Make him change you, _a raspy voice whispered seductively. It seemed to come from somewhere in the back of my mind.

My eyes went wide. I reached up to touch my forehead as a sharp pain began to grow there.

_He can make you immortal! Alexander was more than willing to do the same, but he is dead because of your rash actions and now you must convince another to change you. You must threaten to expose him if that is what it takes make him obey, and you must act quickly!_

_No…_I moaned in response.

_You could stay young and beautiful forever, never fearing death the way you do now. You could be so powerful…_

The pain grew until I couldn't stay sitting. I collapsed on all fours and rested my head on the leather-bound journals, gritting my teeth, and shut my eyes tightly.

_No!_

I lifted my head and opened my eyes wide, mentally forcing the voice to go away. My headache retreated as quickly as it came.

And then the light bulb inside the lamp shattered.

I stared at it for a long time, clock ticking in the background, until a dog barked and startled me out of my daze. I looked around and noticed how dark it was. I checked the clock and realized that it was almost midnight. Slowly, robotically, I made my way up the stairs and climbed into bed. I kicked my shoes off and pulled the blanket over me. I rolled onto my side and stared blankly out the window. My room was bathed in shadows and colder than usual. An owl hooted outside and then flew off in search of food.

After an hour or so, I drifted off to sleep.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

_It was dawn. I was outside Waylon Forge's, a friend of Charlie's, house._

_And then I was inside it. There was Waylon singing in his boat, preparing for an early morning trip. He had on a dark stocking cap, a green shirt that said, "Kiss me, I'm Irish", and a black jacket._

_Suddenly, I heard a growl, and so did Waylon. He fell silent and looked around._

"_Hello?"_

_I heard a rustle of fabric, but I couldn't move to see where it was._

"_Joe? Joe?" he called, standing up and taking a few steps. Looking around and finding the room empty, he shrugged and started the motor on the boat. He began to set out, but something stopped the boat._

_A woman stood at the end of the docking bay, her vibrant red hair and pale skin seeming otherworldly in the dark room. She wore black pants, and a black shirt with a white, flowery pattern. She also had on a white mink coat._

_She also had the strength to pull the motorboat back against the docking bay._

_Waylon spun around in surprise, but smiled when he saw the woman crouched down and staring at him like she was sizing up a package of meat._

"_Hello," he said again, but this time there was a flirty note in his voice._

_His demeanour quickly changed when a man jumped into his boat behind him. The intruder had pale skin, blond hair, dark jeans, and no shirt. On his chest rested something that looked like a necklace._

"_Nice jacket," the blond man said._

_Waylon stuttered out, "Wh-who are you?"_

_The blond man tilted his head. "It's always the same inane questions. Who are you?"_

"_What do you want?" the redhead continued tauntingly._

"_Why are you doing this?" the blond finished._

_There was another rustle and a black man with long, dark hair appeared, sitting down on the boat. He was dressed in some sort of orange suit. "James," he said, sounding bored. The blond man looked down at him. "Let's not play with our food."_

_With that, the woman kicked Waylon against the side of the boat._

I woke with a start, sweaty and panting from fear. Flashes of the events that followed assaulted me. I saw the intruders hold Waylon down and sink their teeth into his arms.

Finally, mercifully, the flashes stopped.

"Well," I muttered. "I guess that explains what happened to the security guard."

_And it's going to happen again…_

That thought sent me reeling. I looked out the window and saw that the sun was just coming up. How long did I have? Could I make it in time?

I put my shoes on and made sure I had my knife and a lighter. I avoided the glass from the light bulb in the living room, ran outside…and stopped.

This was so much bigger than before. This wasn't just one guy in a public place. This was three blood-sucking creatures of the night in an isolated area, with no one to pretend for. It was hard enough killing Alexander, but _three at once?_

I needed some backup. Fast.

I pulled out my cell phone and dialled the Cullens' number, remembering it from my research into them. I hoped they weren't going to be cranky this early in the morning.

My fingers drummed against the roof of my car as I waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello, Bella?" Carlisle Cullen's voice asked questioningly.

"Hey, it's me," I breathed, relieved.

"Is something the matter? Are your headaches acting up?"

That threw me for a loop, but I recovered quickly. "What? Oh! Yeah, no, I mean…I'm fine, really. Can I talk to Edward for a minute?"

There was a short pause. "I suppose so," he answered slowly.

"Great!" I injected as much enthusiasm into my voice as possible. The sun was moving a lot faster than usual, or so it seemed.

I got into my car and started the engine just as Edward said hello.

"Hey, how's it going?" I said, pulling out of the driveway and speeding down the empty streets toward Waylon's house. "Quick question, do you know where Waylon Forge lives?"

His confusion was apparent. "Um, yes, I suppose. Is something wrong? You sound upset."

I took a sharp turn and winced as the tires squealed. "Sorry, baby," I muttered to the car.

"What?" Edward asked, sounding surprised.

"I was talking to my car," I explained. "Would you mind meeting me at Waylon's place?"

"Why?" he asked, still flabbergasted.

"Because," I began, "I think he's about to be eaten by three red-eyed sons of bitches, and I kind of want some backup."

"Bella, what are you talking about?"

"Just get over here!" I ordered as I pulled into Waylon's driveway. The house came into view. Through the trees, I could see the river where he and Charlie used to fish.

My hands shook as I took out my lighter and a matchbook. My gun was still in the inside pocket of my jacket. I pulled it out and checked the magazine. It was fully loaded and ready to go. I put it back, ready to reach for it at the first sign of danger.

I took a deep breath, got out of the car…

…and slammed right into Edward Cullen.

I stumbled back into the car door. "Dude!" I exclaimed in surprise. "You move fast!"

Edward did not look amused. "What are you doing out here, Bella?"

I shrugged and looked up toward the house. "I'm trying to rescue someone. Are you coming?"

He didn't let me move. "There's no one up there. Why would you think Waylon was in trouble?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "How do you know there's no one up there?"

"I checked." He sniffed the air and his eyes darted around as if in search of something.

"No you didn't," I accused. "But if you're so sure, then you won't mind me checking it out myself." I started to step past him, but he grabbed my arm.

"Bella, please."

"Please, _what?_"

We stood glaring at each other in silence.

"Hey, Edward! Are you done talking to your girlfriend yet?" a voice called out from the trees.

I whipped around, reaching for the gun, and then I saw that it was just Emmett. He emerged from the forest with Alice at his side, both dressed in stylish jeans and long-sleeved shirts. Emmett gave Edward and me a big grin. Alice smiled and waved.

"She is _not _my girlfriend!" Edward told his brother with a huff.

"Oh, did you break up with her?" he asked playfully.

Alice frowned and looked around, her nose twitching. "I think someone was here," she said.

"Alice!" Edward scolded.

"She already _knows_, brother-dear, so don't take that tone with me," Alice responded, placing her hands on her hips and leaning forward.

I turned around and saw Edward freeze, but then I was distracted.

"Son of a _bitch!_" I yelled, startling everyone. I stared out at the river as I saw Waylon's motorboat drifting aimlessly along. I could just make out what I thought was Waylon's body.

I looked around, already knowing that it was too late. It was probably too late the moment I woke up this morning. There just wasn't enough time.

I slammed my hand down on the roof of my car, suddenly feeling like I could cry.

Why had I dreamt about Waylon at all? There was nothing I could have done. The girl from Seattle was safe because I'd had the time. _I _was safe from the van because of Edward. If I'd known about my dreams earlier, I probably could have rescued the security guard.

So, why, why, _why _did I have to see something without any hope of stopping it?

Edward said my name and I opened my eyes.

He looked worried. His hand started to reach for me, but it dropped back to his side, as if he was afraid to touch me…

…or as if he thought _I _was afraid of him touching me.

I blew the hair out of my face in a huff. "We gotta report this to the police," I said, pulling out my cell phone.

"What are you going to tell them?" he demanded.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm going to tell them that there's been another animal attack."

Edward's eyebrows shot straight up. "Really?"

I barely restrained another eye roll. "_No,_ I'm going to tell them that three undead, blood-sucking creatures of the night decided to have him for breakfast," I said. Then I rolled my eyes again.

"Uh oh, busted," Emmett muttered in a singsong voice.

"Bring her home in a couple hours. We'll make lunch," Alice told Edward. She and Emmett then walked back into the forest, heading for home, I assumed.

He stared after them with a blank expression as I dialled the police station in Forks.

"Yehllo?" a tired voice answered.

I made my voice sound rough and slightly accented, like an older man's. "Yeah, I'm wondering if anyone's seen Waylon Forge. He was supposed to meet me last night, but I ain't seen him. Can you send someone out to his place to see if he's all right?"

"And who am I speaking to?"

"Bobby Singer, I'm an old friend," I responded, trying to keep my gruff tone as close to Bobby's voice as I could.

"All right, I'll send someone to check it out. Will I be able to get a hold of you, Mr Singer?"

I told him one of Bobby's numbers. He had several in case someone needed him to pretend to be FBI, CIA, etc. "Listen, I gotta get back to South Dakota, so you give me a ring if something's wrong."

"Sure thing, Mr Singer." The officer hung up and I quickly dialled Bobby's number.

"Bella, something wrong?" Bobby's voice sounded more comforting than usual. I was relieved to hear from him.

"Not much. Listen, the Chief of police in Forks is probably gonna call you soon. Just tell him you're an old friend of Waylon Forge's and that you were supposed to meet him last night to go out, but he never showed, okay?"

There was a long pause. "What did you do?" he asked.

I looked quickly at Edward and rolled my eyes. "Nothing, I just might've gotten caught up in something. I'm handling it, though. So, can you?"

He read the desperation in my tone and interpreted it accurately. "Fine, I'll talk to him. Waylon Forbe, right?"

"Forge," I corrected.

"Forge," he repeated. There was a few seconds of silence. "Your mom's in Arizona right now, working on a poltergeist problem."

"She okay?" I asked.

"She's alive," Bobby responded. That was the standard Hunter answer. As long as you were breathing, you were fine.

"Good, I'll call back soon. Right now, I gotta hide from the cops." I hung up and pointed to the passenger side of my car. "Come on, Superman, we can't get caught here." I started the engine as he sat down in the seat.

With a roar of the engine, we took off deeper into the forest, avoiding the main roads, and keeping out of sight.

After a few minutes of travelling, I parked the car in the middle of the dirt path. "So," I began, turning toward my silent passenger. "You guys are vampires, huh?"

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Well, this seems long enough. No real action, but I was mostly trying to be informative. There's gonna be a lot more talking in the next chapter, too. Edward and Bella have some explaining to do.

I just got back from Wonderland last night. It was a blast. The Drop Zone is bloody terrifying, but you have a great view of Toronto just before you go plunging towards the Earth.

I've found that contact lenses aren't as bad as I thought. They're kind of annoying to put in and to get out, but otherwise they're okay.

Oh, and if I offended anyone with the whole _there is no God_ thing, I'm sorry. I was just trying to convey how much pain Bella's ancestor felt. Still, you have to admit that it was a pretty badass speech.

I have to go pry these things out of my eyes now. I'll get started on the next chapter soon.

See you later.


	11. Lunch And Introductions

Hunter

Hey, guys!

Xavier2163 - Don't worry, I'll explain Bella's visions as well as I can, although it will take a _lot _of chapters before I reveal the truth behind them.

Nagozualdean - I'm going to keep to the Twilight storyline for a little while, with a few key differences. Also, my own little details about Bella's destiny differ from the canon Supernatural, so don't depend too much on that storyline either.

7HockeyStarVampireObsessed7 - The Drop Zone is a ride where you climb up a tower, (a really _tall _tower), and once you reach the top, you fall towards the ground at 9.8 meters (32.2 feet) per second for about 2.5 seconds until the breaks kick in. During this ride, it is nearly impossible to keep yourself from imagining what would happen if said breaks fail. It's _awesome!_

Well, here's chapter eleven.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Edward's POV

"_So, you guys are vampires, huh?"_

For a second, I couldn't believe she said that.

From the moment she'd called, I knew something was wrong. The way she spoke to Carlisle - rushed and distracted, and then overly enthusiastic when she asked to speak with me - was a dead giveaway. Bella always sounded cool and collected in any situation.

But I'd never imagined that she'd _guessed._

I suppose I expected her to be afraid. Rather stupid of me. Bella wasn't afraid of anything, even when she should have been.

I looked at her, not answering, but not denying it either. Bella took this as confirmation and smirked. She gazed out the windshield and tightened her hands on the steering wheel. "I can't believe it," she whispered.

_My sentiments exactly._

"Why not?" I asked, honestly curious. "You seem to believe in everything else."

She blinked and her smirk vanished. "That's because I've _seen _everything else. Nobody's even _mentioned_ the word vampire for over three-hundred years, and the woman who did is considered a total nut job."

I remembered our earlier conversation about the supernatural, where Bella told me exactly why she wouldn't tell anyone about me. Everyone would just think she was a _nut job._ A fitting description.

Bella frowned suddenly. I watched the wrinkles grow on her forehead and between her eyebrows. "What's wrong?" I asked, as if this was a completely normal conversation.

She looked over at me for just a second. "It's nothing…I'm just wondering…" She drifted off. I nodded my head and she continued.

"How old are you?"

I looked out my window, wondering if I should tell her. Certainly even _she _had her limits in how much she could take.

"Seventeen."

"Yeah, and I'm gonna be fifty-eight in September."

I smiled, still avoiding her gaze, which I sensed was now drilling into the back of my head. "I was seventeen when I became like this." I indicated to my body with one hand, and revulsion and shame welled up inside of me. "That was in the year 1918."

I glanced over quickly too see how she handled that. Her expression was blank. "Holy Mother of Christ," she said without emotion. And then suddenly, she doubled over laughing. This continued for a few more seconds and then she wiped her eyes. "Oh, man, I can't believe I called Jo a pedophile for thinking you were hot!"

I blinked at her, stunned once again. Out of all the reactions…

"Alright," she began, laying back against her seat and intertwining her fingers together in front of her. "Let me see if I've got this all figured out…"

"You and your family are vampires?"

"Check."

"And you're a hundred and nine?"

"I am. Alice is about the same age, we think. Rosalie and Emmett are a little younger. They're only ninety-five."

Bella's eyes widened a little, but she nodded her head. "Ninety-five…wow."

I gave her a small smile. "Esme is a hundred and fifteen, just a little older than me. You'd like her, everyone does. Jasper is quite a bit older than me, but he's still new to our…diet."

She nodded again, and started to look more relaxed. "And Carlisle?" she asked.

I wondered how much I should say, then decided just to plunge ahead. I was quite sure she could take it. "Carlisle is the eldest. He's the one who changed me."

"Really?" She sat up straighter. "Why? I mean, does that happen a lot?" She looked off to the side, as if uncomfortable.

I suddenly remembered what she'd told me about the vampire from Seattle, _Alexander_. The thought that she had been seconds away from becoming a monster was infuriating. I clenched my fists in response. "No, not too often. Carlisle had been alone for a very long time. When he found me, I was dying of Spanish Influenza. My mother made him promise that he would do everything in his power to save me before she died."

Sympathy welled up in her eyes, and then, strangely, guilt as well. She looked down. "How long is _a very long time?_"

I smiled bitterly. "Carlisle is three-hundred and seventy, give or take. They didn't keep track of dates very well back in the 1600's."

"Of course not," she agreed, sounding shocked and stern at the same time. "They had to worry about the plague and all that. No time to remember how old your kids are."

I looked at her carefully, hoping that she was okay. She stared at her hands with wide eyes, obviously deep in thought.

"So," she started, "I know that you're immortal. Your family feeds on animals. You're very fast and strong."

I wondered how she knew those last traits, but of course Alexander hadn't worried about keeping his secret when they met. Who _knew_ what he'd shown her.

"You're eyes turn black when you're hungry, I think." She looked up at me quickly, and I nodded. She looked back down. "There's just a couple more things I'm not too sure about."

I sighed. "Go ahead."

"Can you read minds?"

It was my turn to be surprised. No one had ever come _close_ to figuring it out, let alone someone who only knew me for a month. Then again, Bella was very perceptive.

"I can, but the rest of my family can't."

She looked at me sharply. "Okay then, what number am I thinking of?"

I smiled at her. "Well, I can't read _your _mind."

Her eyes widened again. "Really?"

"Yes," I said. "It's quite frustrating actually. You're the first person I've ever met who I can't hear."

"Oh," she said, looking down angrily. "Wonderful. I guess that makes me a freak."

I laughed. "I tell you I can read minds, and you think there's something wrong with _you?_"

She smiled a little. "Oh, there are quite a few things wrong with me, Edward." She tilted her head back and stared up at the roof of the car. "Maybe it's some sort of learned thing. In comic books and stuff, whenever some guy can read minds, the other characters come up with ways of hiding their thoughts. You know, like picturing a brick wall."

"_Children of the Damned_," I said, recognizing the reference. "Not a bad example, I suppose. And you're sort of right. Alice has found a few ways of blocking me out over the years, but it's different in your case. She has to do it consciously, and it takes a lot of effort. _You _seem to be doing it automatically."

"Demons can read minds," she said suddenly. There was a dazed, haunted look on her face. "But one of them told me that mine was locked up tight, and that all my thoughts were hidden." She smiled bitterly. "For all the good it did me."

I didn't know what to say. I'd never seen her look so vulnerable before. With her head tilted back like that…her pulse visible in the crevices of her throat…the blood rushing…

I opened the car door and ran toward a tree as quickly as I could. The air outside was clean, but I knew that she would follow me soon.

I was right.

"Wow! You _are_ fast!" She exclaimed, and then she saw my expression. "What's the matter?"

I inhaled another breath and caught just a hint of her scent. It was almost enough to make me pounce on her then and there, but I restrained myself.

"I'm sorry…it's just…" I looked helplessly at her, unable to form the words.

Her mouth dropped open and she stepped back looking flustered. "Oh, jeez, I forgot. In her journal, my ancestor wrote that you guys are crazy-sensitive to smells. Mostly to the smell of blood. Is that it?"

I nodded solemnly. "Most of the time, we can control ourselves, but with you…you have the most desirable scent I've ever come across."

"Huh," she grunted, blank-faced. "That's kinda creepy, but I'm just gonna take it as a compliment and move on with my life." She gave me a reassuring smile, and I felt myself regain control.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

She rolled her eyes and smirked. "Course not. I'm Bella Colt. You'd have to be pretty tough to kill me." She paused a second, and then looked up. There was a momentary break in the clouds, and the sun shone down on us.

I retreated further into the shadows, aware that now was not a good time to surprise her. She caught the movement and gave me a suspicious look.

"So…what's the deal with the sun? Do you get roasted alive, or turn to stone?"

I gave her a crooked smile. Perhaps her ancestors didn't know everything about us. "No, not even close. The sun doesn't hurt us, but we can't go out in it. Not where anyone can see us, that is."

Curiosity lit up in her eyes. "Can you show me? I promise not to freak out." She held her entwined hands in front of her chest in a pleading gesture.

I looked up at the sunrays, hesitated for just a moment, and then closed my eyes and stepped out of the shadows. I didn't want to see her face when she saw how different I truly was.

Her reaction caught me off guard. I opened my eyes and saw her hand pressed over her mouth in a futile attempt to stifle her laughter. The surprise on my face set her off and she doubled over again, holding her stomach with one hand.

"Go-o-od, I'm sorry, Superman! It's just…you built up all that suspense…I was kind of expecting you to look like Nosferatu or something!" She wiped her eyes and straightened up. "Oh, thanks, I needed that. Sparkly vampires. God, no wonder you guys are so hard to kill. Any Hunter who came across you would probably die laughing."

I looked down at my hands, saw the light reflecting off them, and smiled self-consciously. "Maybe, it _is _somewhat anti-climactic, especially considering all the lore about us."

Her smile widened again, and she looked up. "I just pictured _Emmett _covered in glitter! I would pay money to see that for real."

I laughed, the sun vanished behind another cloud, and a new thought struck me.

"Bella," I began cautiously, "how did you know that Waylon was in danger?"

Her smile vanished instantly. I heard her heart stutter and then start to pound. Her hands balled into fists and she held them tensely at her sides. Very slowly, she tilted her head forward to look at me.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose. "I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone."

It was a strange reversal of roles. Shouldn't _I _be saying this to her?

"I promise."

"Then let's go to your house. I hope Alice wasn't kidding about making lunch. I'm starving."

I blinked at her. "Are you sure you want to go to a house full of vampires?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't worry about me, Superman. Besides, I want to meet Esme. You said I would like her."

I smiled. "I did, didn't I?" I thought for a moment, weighing the odds of how much danger my family posed to her versus how easily I could talk her out of going.

Not much of a choice there.

"Do you want directions, or should I drive?"

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

For the most part, we rode in a silence only broken by me telling her where to go. As we neared the house, my family members' thoughts grew louder. I winced a little, missing the silence of the forest with Bella at my side.

"This is it," I said as we approached the three-storey building.

"Dude…" Bella whispered. She parked the car and climbed out. "This place is epic!"

_Is that her? _Esme thought.

_I guess they've arrived. _Carlisle's thoughts were wry with amusement.

_Yes! This is gonna be awesome! _Emmett, of course.

_Great._ Rosalie seemed less than enthused.

Alice must have told everyone that Bella knew.

I listened more carefully, and found that Alice and Jasper were hunting. Preparing for our arrival. I was relieved. It wasn't that I didn't trust Jasper. I trusted him with my life. I just couldn't trust him with Bella's just yet.

_We'll be there in a few minutes! _Alice called out.

Bella looked around, studying her surroundings intently. I realized that she was scoping the place out, like some sort of spy. It was somewhat disconcerting.

"Let's go inside," I offered. She smiled and raced to the door. I got there first and opened it for her. She raised her eyebrow at me, but didn't comment.

Once inside, she studied the entrance room with that intense gaze. I stood by the door and watched. Her reconnaissance was quick and would unlikely be noticed by anyone not paying attention. I wondered if she did this all the time, or if she felt threatened.

"This is really epic," she repeated.

"Esme designed it herself," I told her. "She's pleased that you like it."

She spun around. "How-" She rolled her eyes up to the ceiling and tapped her temple with one finger. "Right. Mind-reading. Forgot."

I laughed. It was so easy to be myself around her. Her nonchalant acceptance of everything was refreshing.

"Shut up," she said, smiling at me. "Where's the food? I haven't eaten anything since yesterday, and _that _was just some roasted marshmallows."

"Everyone's upstairs, except Alice and Jasper, but they'll be here soon."

I heard my family conversing as they cooked the meal. It smelled entirely inedible to me, but Bella inhaled deeply and smiled. "That smells good. Too bad you can't eat it."

"I'm sure I can live with that," I replied, my nose wrinkling. "Honestly, human food stinks."

"Well suck it up, buttercup, 'cause I'm hungry," she said. I laughed again, and this time Emmett joined in.

We reached the second floor and I led her to the kitchen's entranceway. Along the way, she continued checking each room we passed, and I doubted she was simply admiring the furniture.

Esme greeted us with an eager smile. "Bella, we're making _Italiano _for you."

I saw Bella size her up and smiled back. "Great! And you must be Esme." She held out her hand. Esme grasped it carefully in greeting. "Edward said I would like you, and if that tastes half as good as it smells, I'll have to agree with him."

Esme laughed and gave me a quick glance. _She's beautiful, Edward._

I nodded in response. Bella caught it, of course. "Are you two _talking _about me?"

Esme's smile turned repentant, even as her thoughts raced as to how she'd noticed.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Don't believe a thing. I keep a sock in my pants." Then she nodded at Carlisle and Emmett. "How's it hanging, Doc?"

Carlisle smiled reflexively. "Just fine, Bella. And yourself?"

"Couldn't be better."

"You've given us an excuse to use the kitchen for the first time," he said as he scraped the contents of his frying pan onto a plate.

She shrugged. "I'm always willing to mooch off the neighbours."

Esme gently took her arm. "Come, have a seat." She led her to the island in the middle of the kitchen and pulled out the stool. I held back, observing the interaction.

It was so odd, having someone know about us, and yet show no fear whatsoever.

Carlisle set the plate of food down in front of her. He then handed her a fork and knife.

"Thanks," she said, and then took a bite. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she moaned. "Dude, this is the best thing I've eaten since…forever."

Carlisle smiled. "Thank you for the compliment."

Bella took another bite and spoke again. "It sucks that you guys can cook like this, but you can't eat it. It's like giving Clint Eastwood a .44 Magnum, but having no bad guys to shoot."

I heard Alice's thoughts grow closer. "Alice and Jasper are coming," I informed everyone.

Bella's shoulders sank a little, and she put her fork down. "Great, time for The Big Reveal. Remember, you promised not to tell anyone."

"Tell anyone what?" It was the first time Rosalie had spoken, and her tone was just as acidic as her thoughts. Bella was unfazed, though.

"What? You thought you were the only ones with secrets?" she asked pointedly.

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "We already know about you and your Hunter friends."

Bella snickered in response. "I'm not worried about _that._ Can you imagine trying to convince a reasonable human being that there are people who dedicate their lives to tracking down and killing a bunch of mythical creatures? Trust me, people a very good at not believing what's right in front of them. For instance…"

She leaned back farther on the stool and began twirling her knife in between her fingers. "A couple years ago, Renée and I were working a case in Toledo, Ohio. This guy - Steven Shoemaker, I think his name was - he ends up in the morgue after his eyes basically liquidate and his skull fills up with blood."

Esme looked horrified, and her thoughts weren't much better. "That must have been awful."

Bella shrugged. "Par for the course. But, seriously, guess what the great coroner claimed the cause of death was."

"What?" Carlisle asked.

"A stroke."

Rosalie blinked. "A _stroke?_ You're joking, right?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Dead serious."

"So, what was it really?" Emmett asked.

Bella grinned at him. "Bloody Mary. You know, the old urban legend? Say her name three times in front of a mirror and she comes out and kills you. Well, only if you have a secret, and someone ends up dead because of it. Mr Shoemaker's wife died mysteriously after a pill-overdose. We figured Mary sensed his guilt and decided he needed to be punished. Vengeful spirits generally aren't that picky about who they kill. We did some research and found out that a woman named Mary Washington had been murdered a few years before. She tried to write the name of her killer in blood on the surface of a mirror. We tracked the mirror down, summoned Mary, and then smashed it before she could liquefy our brains."

"I thought you said it only went after people who were guilty of murder," Emmett said, surprising everyone with his insight.

"Not exactly," Bella explained. "Mary's victims all had secrets which had to do with someone's death. Mr Shoemaker had a secret affair, which led to his wife's suicide. Another girl accidentally ran over a kid and didn't stop to help. Another broke up with her boyfriend and, when he told her that he was going to kill himself, she told him to go ahead."

"And you and your mom?"

Bella took another bite of her lunch. "Plenty of people have died because we haven't told them about what's out there. All Mary needed was to know that we had a secret, and that people had died because of it. Honestly, I don't think there's a Hunter alive who hasn't had that happen. Colts especially. We're kinda cursed that way."

Alice and Jasper chose this moment to appear. They climbed in through the window, stepping off a nearby tree to reach it.

"Hi, Bella!" Alice called cheerfully.

Bella gave them a little wave. "Hey, Twinkle-Toes, Harpo."

"Harpo?" Emmett repeated, sniggering. He looked at Jasper and his memories of _The Marx Brothers _came rushing back. "Man! You _do _look kinda like Harpo! I never noticed before."

"It's the hair," Bella told him.

Alice giggled and grabbed Jasper's arm, embracing him lovingly. "I've always kind of thought that too. All cute and curly." She reached up and twirled a strand of Jasper's hair around her finger. He smiled at her in response.

Alice suddenly slapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh, Edward, have you told her about Jasper and me yet?"

_You know, our abilities?_

"No, not yet," I replied, wondering what she was up to. She was hiding her thoughts again.

"Told me _what_ about them?" Bella inquired, taking another bite of her lunch.

I ran a hand through my hair and looked at Carlisle for support. He nodded encouragingly at me.

"Well, I told you that I could read minds, but I'm not the only one with an extra…gift in my family."

She nodded and kept eating. "Go on."

I decided to play it safe. "Carlisle is very compassionate, and a skilled doctor."

"Yeah, 370 years of practice probably doesn't hurt when you're trying to get through med school," she replied, smiling.

I smiled back. "He's also exceptionally good at self-control. Most of us don't yet have the strength to be around blood without…" I trailed off.

She nodded. "Going postal, got it," she finished, still completely at ease.

"Esme is very loving," I continued, looking at my adoptive mother shyly as she smiled.

"Okaaay, getting a little chick-flicky," Bella murmured.

"I'm strong," Emmett piped up, leaning over and flexing his muscles for her to see. "Toughest vamp in the States, that we know of."

She laughed in response. "I don't doubt you there, Magnus." She explained before we could ask. "Magnus Ver Magnusson is an Icelandic Strongman and power lifter. He won the title of World's Strongest Man four times."

Emmett grinned widely at the compliment. "Cool!"

Rosalie didn't seem too pleased about it, though. "I've been called the most beautiful vampire in the world," she boasted. Then she smiled menacingly. "I'm good at killing too."

Once again, Bella was unfazed. "Oh…join the club. Killing's what I do best." She turned to Jasper suddenly. "Hey, if you don't mind my asking, how old are you?"

Jasper smiled slowly, trying to keep his thoughts from drifting to places he didn't want to go. "Let's just say I fought for the South. We lost."

Bella threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, you did _not _just quote _Near Dark!_"

Jasper's smile widened. "Yes, ma'am, I believe I did." Even I had to admit, it was pretty funny.

Bella calmed herself down and grinned at him. "So, aside from your sense of humour, what's your special talent?"

He looked down and shifted uncomfortably. "I can sense and control emotions, although I usually don't manipulate people unless I have to."

Bella was silent for a moment. "Awesome," she finally said. "And you, Twinkle-Toes?"

Alice smiled conspiratorially. "I have visions."

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Ooooooooo! Major cliffy! I can't wait to start writing Bella's reaction to _that_ bombshell. Expect a lot more in terms of explanations next chapter. Finally, I'm going to tell you what happened with Bella and her Deal With The Devil! Muwahahahahaha!

I will eagerly await your reviews.


	12. History

Hunter

School started; I have no other excuse than that for how late this is.

The-girl-alone-in-the-corner - Cool! Most of my readers are from America, according to the story stats. It's nice to see that my audience is a little wider.

Rockstarvampire - Gee, thanks. I have noticed that my characterizations of Bella are getting progressively more badass. I'm glad you like her. _Twilight-_Bella always seemed kind of wimpy. Maybe it's because I love reading horror novels, but I would have been a lot less ignorant and wussy when it came to discussing vampire lore. The most annoying thing I remember about the book was when Edward told her about how he and Emmett had gone bear hunting. I would've been totally fine with it, but Bella's reaction threw me. _Hello!_ What did you _think _they've been eating? Bunnies?…I'll stop ranting now.

MSPT91 - I looked it up on the Twilight-Wiki. I know that Esme was turned _after _Edward, but she was technically born before him. That's why she's older.

A Violet Kind Of Violence - Yeah, you should probably ignore that. I heard it on _House _once. A patient mentioned how the nurses always talked about Dr House, and he replied with that sentence, referring to his _you-know-what_. It stuck with me. You can probably find a bunch of other quotes from TV and movies in my stories. I love collecting quotes, as lame as that sounds.

Angel of the Night Watchers - Cool name. And thanks, I love making people laugh.

I Just Won A Free Toaster Oven - Once again, cool name. If I ever change my name, I think I'll call myself, "Queen of Cliffhangers". Or maybe Gweezle. I have to give it a little more thought.

FICTIONAL-STAR _- _"NOO. YOU DID NOT JUST CLIFFHAND ME" Oh, I believe I did, but this chapter should make up for it. Try reading _The Shining_. Hands down, best horror story I ever read. I actually had to _stop _reading it for a little while because I was so freaked out. (Granted, I was thirteen at the time, and not exactly used to his material). _Pet Sematary _comes in at a close second.

Enjoy the chapter.

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Bella's POV

_Visions._

My appetite disappeared. I put down my knife and fork with more care than was strictly necessary. I swallowed the remainder of the food in my mouth, unable to taste it anymore. My head swam dizzily, so I rested it in my hands, using my elbows as leverage to hold it up.

"Visions?" I repeated. I wanted to kick myself when I heard my voice crack.

Alice apparently wasn't expecting my reaction. She frowned, but I knew she wasn't angry. She looked frustrated and confused. Had her visions shown her what I could do? Had she hoped that I would relate with her? Was that why she always acted so nice?

"Yes," she confirmed, still puzzled by my reaction. Edward gave her a sharp look and I saw her eyebrows narrow in concentration. Was she hiding something from him?

"I can see the future, and I can see things that are happening around the world right now. It used to be difficult to control, but now I'm almost an expert. Of course, depending on a person's choices, the future can change. I see vampires better than humans. Your future is a lot less clear than I'm used to seeing, even for a human."

"Always be unpredictable. That's my motto," I said flatly. I didn't like this. Being caught off guard. I had been fully prepared to drop my bombshell with casual grace, and to carry on as if it were no big deal. Honestly, I was sure the vampires could handle it.

Now, I didn't know where to start. Alice obviously knew _something._ Hopefully, not everything. Choices, she said. Choices affected her visions. If I _chose _not to reveal too much, then maybe I could keep my darkest secret hidden for just a little longer.

It was time to see how well these vampires handled _my _world.

I folded my hands on the counter in front of me. The remainder of my lunch would go to waste, but I couldn't feel bad about that at the moment. I needed to phrase this just right…

I took a deep breath and sighed. "Okay, I know about your gifts, so I suppose I should tell you about mine." I looked up at the faces of Edward's family, saving his for last.

You can do this, Bella.

"I-I have these nightmares…" I started, and then I couldn't look at anyone. I studied my hands and finished my sentence in a whisper. "…and sometimes…they come true."

Instinct made me tense my shoulders. I fully anticipated some sort of attack after such an admission. Or, at the very least, I thought I'd be yelled at. Learning that a vampire - a mythical creature - could see the future was one thing. Learning that a human could do the same was a whole 'nother level of supernatural weirdness, and such deviances were rarely tolerated in the Hunting Community.

Edward's family reacted, but not with disgust.

"What?" Edward asked.

"But how can this be?" Carlisle questioned.

"Wait. What?" Emmett interjected.

Jasper and Rosalie gave me equally surprised and weary looks. Esme stared at me with wide eyes, but I detected no hint of real malice in anyone's expression.

Carlisle sat down beside me and gave me a cautious glance. "Are you sure it wasn't just coincidental?"

I gritted my teeth. "That's what I thought the first time it happened, when that security guard was killed."

Edward's eyes widened in surprise. "You saw what killed him?"

I shook my head. "No, not then at least. I only saw the eyes." I stopped talking and frowned, remembering Nicolette Colt's description of the one who killed her son. How his eyes were like hellfire.

I glanced at Edward's eyes, shining like the brightest topaz, and relaxed.

"Then I had another dream the day you came to pick me up," I continued. "This one was a lot more detailed. I figured out where and when the attack would happen. Honestly, I thought I was just going crazy, especially when the guy didn't go after the girl he was supposed to. Course, then he went after me."

"Alexander, I suppose," Edward snarled, his face twisting in disgust.

I nodded. "Yup, it was close. Of course, these were all dreams. The one that _really _cemented the whole deal happened while I was awake. Remember when I nearly got run over?"

I saw Edward's mind drift back, and then his eyes widened in understanding. "Your headaches…" he murmured.

I nodded again. "That one was a whopper. Still, it's nice to know that you were willing to expose yourself to save me." I grinned as his mouth dropped open. "I saw you stop the van…one-handed! Just shoved it away like it was nothing. _That's _when I figured that there was a lot more going on than I'd thought."

"That still doesn't explain how you figured out what we were," Rosalie grumbled. "You told Edward that you'd never seen anything like us. Did you dream about us too?"

I shook my head. "No. Jacob, an old friend from La Push, told me about you guys."

Their reactions threw me.

"The little-"

"Does this mean we can-"

"I'm sure it wasn't like that-"

I raised an eyebrow, looking first at Rosalie, then Emmett, and finally Carlisle. "What's the deal? It wasn't like he believed it."

My eyes narrowed as I thought about Sam and his Lieutenants. _They _were another story entirely, but I didn't want to give the Cullens anything else to worry about. If the boys became a problem, _I_ would deal with them.

"Anyway," I continued. "I would've figured it out eventually. My ancestor, Nicolette Colt, described what vampires look like in her journal. Even if she _is _the black sheep of the family, I'd have been stupid to ignore that."

"This is all really interesting, Bella," Alice began. She bounced on the back of her heels exuberantly. "I've seen you practising this speech in some of my visions, and I'm glad you trust us…but there's one thing I can't see."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Which is?" I prodded.

"_How _did you start getting visions? You said that they started just over a month ago. Did something happen to you?"

I understood why she was so confused. I had decided never to speak of hell to anyone, and that was why she didn't know. Still, the thought must have crossed my mind at some point. Maybe she hadn't been looking for it then. Despite how powerful her visions were compared to mine, she wasn't omniscient.

I shifted and looked down. "Yeah, something did happen to me," I confirmed.

I looked back up at the Cullen family, and stared pointedly at Edward. "You remember that first day you talked to me, when I told you about a _deal _I made?"

His face scrunched up in thought. "Yes, I remember. You and your mother were in a car accident…I suppose that wasn't the truth," he deduced.

"Not entirely. We really _did _get into a car accident, only…the other driver wasn't exactly human." I bit my lip as I remembered. "We were coming back from another Hunt. It was late, and I was hungry. I asked Renée if we could get something from the store, seeing as we weren't going to have time to eat once we got back to the hotel. I whined about it, really. Eventually, she gave in. We turned to go down the street where the store was, and then a semi crashed right into us."

Esme gave a little gasp and touched my shoulder gently. I fought not to shake it off.

"It hit the driver's side. Mom was unconscious, and badly hurt. I was okay, a little dazed, but fine. Then the guy got out of the truck. I _thought _he was coming to help, but then I saw his eyes. It was a demon."

I clenched my fists, remembering the taunting smile and its eyes. They were the colour the sclera of your eyes turned when your liver failed. When I was fourteen and Mom was bleeding out in the back of the Impala, that was the colour the traffic light turned, making me slow down and waste precious seconds because I couldn't get caught driving. It wasn't just some black-eyed nothing. It was one of the big guns. Why it chose to go after us that day was a mystery, but I never hated anything so much in my life.

I breathed out and relaxed. "Luckily, someone saw what had happened. They called an ambulance and the police. It was a small town, so the demon didn't have time to break through the protective symbols we put on the car, like this," I said, twisting around and pulling my shirt up so the Cullens could see the Devil's Trap tattooed on my lower back.

"Sweet!" said Emmett. Rosalie smacked him and they waited for me to continue.

"So, the demon takes off, and the ambulance arrives. I was more scared than I'd ever been in my life," I admitted. "Mom was in bad shape. I mean, _really bad._ They rushed her right into the operating room, but even _I _could see that they didn't have much hope. The doctors find out I'm only sixteen, and they send in this damn social worker!" My fists clenched again at the memory and my voice sounded strained. "She starts going on about the grieving process, and asks if I have any family members to look after me. I just wanted her to go away. I knew Renée would flip when she saw what happened to the car, and I needed to get to it before they found the weapons in the trunk."

I stopped talking and looked at my audience sternly. I felt the need to say something before I told them the truth. To clarify so that they wouldn't think less of me for doing what I did.

"I did what I had to do, okay? It was _my_ choice! I knew what the consequences would be! I just didn't expect it to turn out like this."

My tone caught them off guard. Carlisle's eyes widened. "I'm sure that you did what you felt was right," he said soothingly, like he was my father, not a centuries-old vampire, whose adopted son I was in love with.

"You believe in God, Carlisle?" I asked suddenly.

"Of course," he said without hesitation.

I gave a short laugh. "Well, I _don't_."

He frowned. "Really? Even after all you've seen?"

"With all I've seen, why _would _I believe in God? I've seen innocent people get killed and eaten, and not always in that order! I've seen things that you couldn't even _imagine_. Vampires are just a very small section of my world. There are over a hundred different nasty things out there that want nothing more than to kill everyone on this Godforsaken planet! But the worst of the lot has got to be Crossroad Demons."

I knew they were curious, but they remained silent. I explained. "Crossroad Demons are not your run-of-the-mill demons. They're more powerful, and, debatably, more evil. You think taking down a plane of innocent people is bad? Get this. A Crossroad Demon's job is to trick those same innocent people into giving up their souls in exchange for one wish. That way, instead of sending them to heaven - or wherever good people go after they die - hell gets a new chew toy."

I glared at my unfinished lunch as I spoke. "Usually, they give you ten years, but I'm a Colt. We've been Hunting for over six centuries, and that red-eyed bitch saw the perfect way to finally end it."

"You made a deal to save your mother," Edward stated. Wonder and horror battled in his tone.

I nodded. "She gave me a year." I scrunched up my nose. "Sealed the deal with a kiss. Then I went back and pretended that everything was okay."

"Wait! You kissed a girl?" Emmett bellowed. Rosalie smacked him again. He turned to her with a hurt expression. "It was just a question," he whimpered.

I laughed, unable to contain my amusement. Honestly, it was like he was frigging _five!_

"Yeah, I guess you could say that, if you use the term _girl_ a little loosely. It wasn't exactly pleasant. Sorta like tonguing an ashtray. But, hey! Rule thirty-four. Whatever gets your rocks off." I laughed again.

"Ew, an ashtray?" he asked, cringing.

I nodded, grinning at his reaction. "Caught me off guard, too. I didn't expect to be violated by demon-tongue, otherwise I would've brought some breath mints."

Rosalie glared at me. "So, I'm guessing you got out of your deal, and that's why you're hiding out here?"

I glared right back at her. "I didn't get outta nothing. November rolled around and I paid my dues. The hellhounds came and ripped me apart, and the next thing I know, four months had passed and I'm waking up in my own grave."

"Wait!" said Emmett. I started to think that that was his catchphrase or something.

"Yeah?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He leaned forward, an awed expression on his face. "You mean you went to hell and back? I mean, is that _normal?_"

"If it was normal, I wouldn't be hiding out here. You were listening when Jo came. Don't you remember her mentioning all the Hunters who want to kill me?"

Esme put her hand over her mouth, shocked. The younger Cullens' expressions ranged from uncaring to furious.

"We believe that what's dead should stay dead. And, considering my recent psychic episodes, I can't say that I don't still believe that."

"What?" Edward yelled. He surged forward and took my hand, his eyes wide with urgency. "You _can't _believe that, Bella. You've done nothing wrong. In fact, you managed to save an innocent girl by using your gift. Anyone who feels that you're a threat because of them is an ignorant, vile, unethical being who doesn't deserve to be in the same room as you!"

I blinked at him. Then I gave him the most lovey-dovey look I could conjure up. "Aww, you're so cute when you get all worked-up like that."

Then I couldn't stand it and burst out laughing.

"Oh, re_lax_, Superman!" I said, holding up my hands. "The other Hunters have bigger things to worry about. Besides, killing me would be risking Renée's wrath." I stopped for a second and murmured, "Wow, alliteration."

"And what's so scary about that? She's just one human." That was Rosalie, of course.

And _that_ was disrespectful.

I smiled and closed my eyes, while at the same time, I climbed to my feet and placed my hands on the counter. I wasn't tall, and I wasn't too intimidating, but that didn't mean I couldn't make her eat those words.

"If you would open your ears for a few seconds, you would understand that my family is not like other Hunters. We've been Hunting since The Black Death first appeared in Scotland. The first one of us to ever send a demon back to hell was only fourteen! He was also the one to discover the effects that demon-blood had on weapons. He and his father went all over Europe, killing every evil thing they could find, and they were considered the best. Most new Hunters die within the first few months. We have a saying, 'Last a year, and you're welcome here.' _That _is how long a _good _Hunter is expected to live."

I leaned forward and tilted my head up a little farther, peering at the blond bitch through my bangs. "You know how long the average Colt lives? From first Hunt to last, you can expect about three decades of consistent work before they ride the pale horse. That means we're thirty times better than a good Hunter. We are _not _just a bunch of kids running around, shooting Casper in the face. We were raised like warriors. We start Hunting younger, and we don't stop until we can't move enough to shoot a gun or stab a knife."

I leaned down and lowered my voice. "And if you think…that someone is gonna take me out and not live in fear for the rest of their _Very.__Short.__Life…_then you're even dumber than you look, Thorny. I wager that the guy'd be choking out his last breath before I even started to rot."

My rant had the desired effect. Rosalie didn't look so cocky anymore. In fact, I would almost say she was scared.

Honestly, the whole family looked taken aback. Maybe I shouldn't have laid it on so thick.

I sat back down and rested my head on one hand. "So, can I see the rest of the house now?"

My poorly executed segue had the desired effect. Edward agreed without hesitation, and the others began to clean up as we started to leave the kitchen.

"Hey!" Emmett called just as I reached the doorway. I turned around. He grinned at me. "You know when you beat up those guys who were robbing the grocery store?"

I thought back and nodded.

"What'd that one guy say to tick you off?"

I felt my mouth grimace at the memory. "He called me…_babe._" I injected as much vitriol into the word as I could. "Nobody calls me…_babe._"

Emmett held up an _OK _sign. "Gotcha, I'll remember never to say that to you."

I laughed and waved. "See you later, Magnus."

Edward was quiet for a few moments as he led me up another flight of stairs. All the doors on this floor were closed, except for the one at the end of the hall.

"This is my room," he said awkwardly.

I walked inside and looked around. A window took up one whole wall, while the others were painted bright white. There was a sleek white couch pushed to my left, a big-screen TV positioned on the wall in front of it. Behind that were shelves and shelves of books, movies, and music.

"Dude!" I exclaimed, totally awed. "This room is like the coolest place _ever!_ It's probably bigger than most of the hotel rooms I've stayed in."

Edward chuckled, but the tense atmosphere remained. I turned around and bit my lip guiltily. "I blew it, didn't I?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

I held my arms out at my sides and splayed my fingers. "I completely ruined the whole meet-the-parents thing." I dropped my arms back against my sides and tilted my head down.

"You didn't-"

I cut him off. "I should've just kept my mouth shut. God, I can be so _stupid._ I basically told your sister that my mom would kill her if she did me in. Not to mention Esme; I'm sure _she_ thinks I'm a delight. Carlisle, Alice and Emmett are the only ones who weren't completely weirded out. And I'm pretty sure that Jasper wanted to eat me."

He snickered. "That's hardly your fault. Jasper's new. And the others like you…" he trailed off. "Well, aside from Rosalie, but she has her reasons. Esme adores you, trust me."

I crossed my arms and sighed. "Guess I can't argue with a mind-reader. Still, I hope I didn't scare you guys too badly."

This time he laughed quite a bit louder. "Shouldn't that be my line? After all, I _was _introducing you to my vampire family."

I rolled my eyes. "Honey, I've been to hell and back. You think a few fangless, glittering rocks are gonna scare me?"

The comment was meant to lighten the mood even further, but Edward's face took on a sombre tone. "Speaking of hell…"

I rolled my eyes again. "Oh, _here _we go."

"Bella, please be serious for a moment," he pleaded.

I sat down on the couch and crossed my legs. "Okay, since you asked nicely." I leaned back and put my hands behind my head. "Ask away. I'm an open book."

He gave and short laugh again and crossed his arms. "You were in there for four months?" he asked.

I fought to keep my expression from giving anything away. He didn't need to know the truth. "Yeah, but honestly, I don't remember too much. Except, I sometimes dream about it. And sometimes I can still _smell it!_" My nose wrinkled at the memory. "It always smelled like blood. That was the _worst!_"

He raised an eyebrow. "Humans can't smell blood."

I gave him a questioning look, wondering if he was being serious. He was.

"Well, I can. It smells like rust and salt. Ugh, and in Mr Molina's class, we had to do that stupid blood-typing thing. _That _was bad enough, but one of the other classes must have been working with chemicals because the whole room smelled like sulphur. Nearly gave me a panic attack," I admitted.

Edward didn't seem too pleased with that. But that was the point. I needed to keep him from guessing the worst by hiding behind something less awful, but still pretty bad.

"Is there a chance that something…a demon or something else will track you down and try to…hurt you?" he asked hesitantly.

I looked up at the ceiling and wondered just that. Why _hadn't _they found me yet? It wasn't like I was running.

"I'm not sure. If they knew where I was, they probably would've sent the hellhounds weeks ago."

"Hellhounds?" he repeated.

"They're kinda like hell's bounty hunters," I explained. "After you've made a deal, they're the ones that come get you once your time is up. You can try to run, barricade yourself in a salt ring, use holy water, iron, or Goofer Dust, otherwise known as graveyard dirt to most, or you can hang a Devil's Shoestring over your door. But sooner or later, they'll get in."

"What do they look like?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Giant dogs, I suppose. They only people who can see them are the ones going to hell, and they're not really in a chatty mood when their skin is being flayed open." I ignored his flinch and kept going. "Me, I saw them, but I was pretty wasted when they came for me. No sense going out sober."

He gave me a strained smile, but I knew he was anything but amused.

"Lighten up, Superman. You think a little thing like eternal damnation is gonna stop me?" I joked. Then I stood up and brushed myself off. "You know, not that I wouldn't love to stay and chat, but I got like four hours of sleep last night. You should get some sleep too. No offence, but underneath all the hotness, you guys always look completed worn out."

He shifted uncomfortably at that and suddenly looked guilty. "Uh, no, uh…we don't sleep."

I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Not even in a coffin or something?"

He actually laughed for real at that. "Myth."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, make fun of me for at least _trying_ to make you guys seem cooler. As if munching down on Bambi and wearing Gucci clothes wasn't enough. I tell you, for your reputation, you guys are like the lamest monsters I've ever met. You're lucky you're a good kisser," I said flirtatiously.

He raised an eyebrow. "You have a lot of experience with kissing monsters?" he teased.

I rolled my eyes. "Ugh, don't get me started. If they're not trying to kill me or eat me, they're trying to make me go _Bride Of Frankenstein _or something. Before Alexander or the Crossroads bitch, there was this Trickster. Frigging _hate_ those things! They like to screw with jerks by playing a few pranks on them. They're basically demi-gods. Powerful guys. So, this dude has a professional critic get eaten by alligators, because he'd just written a paper on how stupid people were to believe that they could actually exist in the sewers."

I paused and held up a hand. "They don't. Seriously. We've checked."

Edward snorted.

"So, next thing he does…" I couldn't help it. I grinned. "He has this football player from college get abducted by aliens. Apparently, they probed him…a lot." I giggled. "Course, since this is a Trickster we're talking about, he adds his own twist, and the guy-" I laughed again. "The aliens made him slow dance to _Lady In Red!_"

Even from Edward's room, I could hear Emmett's booming laugh.

"I thought it was hilarious too. Still, he's killing people, so Renée and I have to put him down. He takes Renée out, no problem, but doesn't hurt her. Said he liked Hunters, or something. I'm just about to stab him with a stake. To kill it, you've got to dip the stake in the victim's blood and stab the Trickster in the heart. Not as easy as it sounds, mind you, since they can basically bend reality to their will," I explained nonchalantly, enjoying Edward's stunned expression immensely.

"So, I go in for the kill. He grabs my arm. I'm thinking I'm done for…and then he plants one right on the _mouth!_" I stuck my tongue out at the memory. "I mean, there's no sugar coating it, Superman; you're pretty old. But these guys are _ancient!_ I'm talking B.C. here!" I made another face and shook my head. "Still, I have to admit, not many other high school freshmen can gloat that they made out with a god."

"Did you kill it?"

"Damn right! Nobody kisses _me _without permission and gets away with it…except for the Crossroads Demon, but I guess I can let that one go."

He gave me a tight but genuine smile. "You should get going. You need your rest." He ducked his head a little and spoke more softly. "If your nightmares get to be too much, I'm sure Carlisle can give you something."

I waved the offer away. "Nah, I need to stay sharp. Besides, I doubt Valium holds up against psychic visions and whatnot." I gave him one last friendly smile. "I'll see you in school tomorrow, Edward."

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I know you're all going to hate me for this, but there's one other reason that this is so late. I've been kind of thinking up a new story. I've got a bit written down in a notebook, but I've decided not to post it until I get a few more chapters of this done. It's not a _Twilight _story, which I why I'm hesitant to start it. I don't want to get too far off base and forget what I need to do with this.

If you haven't noticed already, I went through all the chapters of _Hunter _and gave them titles. My favourite one is _Ash And Sulphur_. It's sort of a play on words, as Ash is the name of a Hunter I mentioned earlier, but it also has to do with hell, like sulphur. I think it's cute, but I'm sure you all know by now that I'm somewhat insane.

Check my profile and vote for your favourite story of mine. It's shameless ego-boosting for me.

I have to go to bed now. I look forward to reading your responses.


	13. Univited Guests

Hunter

Have any of you guys read _The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner_ yet? I'm about halfway through it, and I have to admit, I like Bree's characterization more than Bella. Of course, I realize now that Bella is a timid, uncoordinated, obsessive teenager who hangs out with werewolves, allows her hybrid baby to nearly tear her apart, and marries a vampire who's a little behind in terms of equal rights for women. _That_ is the girl I'm supposed to relate to? Maybe that's why I always make _my _Bella so tough and funny. The original is just _boring._

Here's chapter thirteen. Things are gonna get ugly.

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Edward's POV

_I have these nightmares…and sometimes…they come true…_

_I've seen things that you couldn't even _imagine…

_She gave me a year…_

_November rolled around and I paid my dues…_

_Next thing I know, I'm waking up in my own grave…_

_What's dead should stay dead…_

Bella was even more amazing than I thought. Not only did she save people from all the monsters in the dark, but she didn't hesitate to save her mother, even though it meant her own damnation.

How could anyone be so selfless? Was it because of the way she was brought up, trained to protect others at all cost? She wasn't a _soldier!_ She was a _child!_

Albeit, a very intelligent, resourceful, and mature child.

It was Friday, and Forks's high schoolers had been blessed with a three-day weekend. Probably due to a teacher's meeting for prom, but I wasn't too interested in reasons.

I was more interested in the weather.

"Just a little while longer!" Alice called up to me cheerily from the living room. "You'd better go get Bella. She'll want to come."

Rosalie snorted, but said nothing. I sensed Emmett's mood lift through Jasper and smiled in response. Even Bella's macabre past didn't lessen his affability toward her.

"On the double, Edward!" my favourite sister called impatiently. "We'll meet you there."

I sighed and got off my couch. I raced downstairs and grabbed the keys to Emmett's Jeep, then quickly ran to the garage and started the engine. I didn't think Bella would appreciate having to wash off all the mud that would undoubtedly accumulate on her precious Impala.

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Bella's POV

_Lightning crackled in the sky._

(_Something is coming!_)

_Thunder roared in my ears._

(_They're _coming!)

_It was foggy, but I could just make out three shapes in the mist._

(_They're _HERE!)

_Then they were gone, and I was in a house, and then…_

(FIRE!)

I jerked myself awake. My eyes scanned the room as I lied flat on my back.

Just a dream. There was no fire, and nothing was coming for me.

I slowly sat up and stretched. My back ached with tension. I rubbed my neck soothingly, trying to relieve the strain.

Finally, I stood up and made my way to the bathroom. I'd slept longer than usual, a testament to my exhaustion. At least now I felt a bit better.

After showering, I dressed, and went downstairs to prepare breakfast. I grabbed the remaining two eggs and made a mental note to go shopping soon.

Just as I finished, someone knocked on my door. I looked through the window and saw an unfamiliar jeep parked out front. My gun rubbed against my stomach reassuringly as I walked to the door and opened it a crack.

All my anxiety vanished as I saw who it was.

"Hey, Superman! What's up?" I pulled the door open wider to let him in. As I did so, I saw that he was dressed in some sort of uniform, complete with a baseball cap. I grinned.

He stepped onto the living room mat and smiled. "Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to watch my family and I play baseball."

It took me half a second to decide. Anything to get out of this house. I grabbed my leather jacket and nodded my head at the jeep. "Nice ride."

"It's Emmett's," he replied. "It's going to be muddy near our field, and I didn't want to mess up my car."

I laughed. "Yeah, you and me both, Superman." I gave his hat another surreptitious glance. "So…do I get a cap?"

He took my hand and led me to the jeep. On the passenger seat was a hat that looked about my size. I hopped in and put it on, examining myself in the side view mirror. "Nice. Leather plus designer cap equals one _fine_ Hunter."

Edward grinned at my lame joke, and then started the engine. As we drove, I created a mental roadmap in my head of where we were going, and where we'd been. I never knew when I'd have to drive Renée home after a Hunt gone bad. It wasn't that I didn't trust Edward, and it wasn't because I was worried about that stupid dream.

Still, it was best if I kept sharp.

We arrived at a field fifteen minutes later. The rest of the Cullens were suited up just like Edward. Emmett and Jasper tossed a ball back and forth as we got out of the jeep and walked over to them.

I looked up as a lightning bolt zigzagged its way across the sky. The dark clouds hinted that a storm was coming.

"You sure this is good weather for baseball?" I asked.

"Don't worry. Alice said the storm won't pass over us. Besides, we can only play when there's thunder."

As if his words were a cue, the sky boomed overhead.

"It's time!" Alice called eagerly. She and Emmett then took off toward the other side of the field. Emmett ran out farther while Alice stopped dead centre. I could just make out the markings of the bases, like little slabs of flat, white stones.

Edward grinned at me and then ran out as well, fast enough that some of my hair flew into my face. I brushed it back and tucked it under my hat. "Cute," I muttered, knowing he would hear me.

"Bella, I'm glad you're here," Esme said, taking my arm gently and leading me next to home base. "We need an umpire."

"Hey, sure, no problem," I said distractedly. I stared out at the forest behind the outfielders, watching as the fog rose up between the trees. With the lightning and thunder overhead, it could've been an image straight out of my nightmare.

Of course, Forks was always stormy and foggy. How would I know if my reality was invading my dreams, or if my dreams were invading my reality?

_Just keep an eye out for the fire_, I thought, but I somehow knew that the fire wasn't here. It was…

The sound of the ball cracking against Rosalie's bat startled me out of my daydream. It was louder than I expected.

"So _that's _why you need the thunder," I remarked. Rosalie's dash around the bases was almost too quick for my eyes to keep up with. At the same time, I noted that the ball was soaring into the forest, and that Edward was running after it.

"Come _on_, Superman," I hissed.

Esme, who sat crouched beside me in the catcher's position, reassured me, "Edward's very fast."

To prove that, Edward finally reached the ball and threw it back toward us. Rosalie passed third base and started heading home. Seeing the ball, she ducked down and tried to slide the remaining length.

_Tried _was the key word. While this was going on, my head started pounding. My eyes locked on the ball, flying closer to Esme's waiting hand.

It wasn't going to make it.

I clenched my fists, willing it to move faster, if only to wipe that smug look off Rosalie's face.

And then suddenly…it did.

I didn't know if anyone else noticed the change of speed. It accelerated just a fraction, but it was enough for Esme to grab it and clip Rosalie's ankle just before she made it.

_I should've brought some aspirin_, I thought miserably as I massaged my temples.

"Out!" I called automatically, still distracted by the pain. I sensed Rosalie giving me a dirty look as she got to her feet, but couldn't bring myself to care.

Carlisle took the bat next, and this time I watched carefully as Alice pitched. She was amazing. I wondered if she would give me a few pointers, not that I played that often. In fact, the only time I ever participated in team sports was when I was in school. Hunting didn't exactly offer much time for fun.

Still, all that style did nothing to stop Carlisle from executing a perfect swing.

Back on the field, Emmett and Edward were in a race to get to the ball before Carlisle made it to second. I held my breath as they both jumped a dozen feet into the air and collided with a loud crash. The ball landed gracefully behind them as they collapsed in a heap. Carlisle slid to safety and I exhaled. The boys shoved each other playfully as they got to their feet, and I could've sworn Edward flipped his brother off.

"Don't make me come over there!" I warned. "Stop crowding each other! And if you have to do that again, at least try to catch the ball!"

Emmett waved me off playfully. Edward shook his head and laughed as they got back into position.

Jasper stepped up to the plate, twirling his bat like a baton. Alice threw the ball and he hit it full force. I wondered what that ball was made of. Steel?

Carlisle zoomed into third, and I knew he would make it home. Emmett raced after the ball, climbing a tall tree in half a second and catching it midair. He tossed it back to Esme before he even landed.

"That's the way!" I said excitedly.

Carlisle was safe, and Jasper was on second. Rosalie took to bat again and hit the ball full force. She took off for first…

…and I felt another headache start.

I hadn't noticed when the pain went away - too distracted by the awesome sight before me - but now it was back, and impossible to ignore. I squeezed my eyes shut and clutched my head as an image flashed inside my eyelids.

_The three figures in the fog, accompanied by a rush of wind that sent a batch of leaves into the air in front of them._

"Bella, are you okay?" Carlisle asked, breaking my trance. His hand was on my shoulder. When did that happen?

I was just about to tell him that everything was fine, when Alice's fearful voice called out, "STOP!"

The vampires all turned toward the forest, perhaps hearing or seeing something that my human senses couldn't detect. The next sharp jab of pain would've sent me to my knees if not for Carlisle. He gripped both my arms and held me steady. "Bella?" he asked again, a note of anxiety entering his voice.

My eyelids slammed shut again as an image of the three vampires who killed Waylon appeared in my mind. They seemed to be walking casually, but their surrounding rushed by them, showing just how quickly they moved.

The vision cut off, and my headache ebbed away slowly. "Son of a _bitch!_ They're coming _here?_" I questioned. I found my footing and Carlisle released me.

The Cullen family had all run to home base while I was caught in my vision. Now, they looked alarmed, and a little frightened.

Alice stared at me with wide eyes. "You saw them?"

I bit my lip in frustration. "I dreamt about them this morning, but I couldn't make them out. I _knew _this field looked familiar," I grumbled under my breath.

Edward grabbed my arm and started walking me to the jeep.

"It's too late," Carlisle told him hopelessly.

"I'm always too late," I grumbled angrily to myself.

No one responded. They were too busy getting organized. Carlisle stood at the front of our little group with Emmett and Jasper close by. The women stood behind them, and Edward and I stayed at the rear. Despite all the protectors in front of me, I felt unnerved. I reached inside my jacket and touched my gun to reassure myself. I wondered how quick off the draw I'd have to be if one of our visitors attacked.

Luckily, I had my knife too, just in case things got up close and personal.

I ducked my head as I finally saw them in person.

The guy in front was the tall, dark-skinned, French guy who told the blonde, _James_, not to play with his food. I suppose I should've been grateful that he'd stopped the sociopath from making Waylon suffer too much.

Then again, I had higher standards for my supernatural friends, number one being that they don't _eat _people.

Number two, a guy shouldn't have bigger boobs than me.

The redhead moved like a cat. Her long, curly hair flowed behind her. I wondered if it ever got in her face when she _ate_-

-best to stop that thought before I put a bullet between her eyes and pissed her friends off.

They finally stopped about ten feet in front of Carlisle. The way they sized us up made me think of animals greeting each other in the wild. I hoped it wouldn't turn into one of those times where they decided they didn't want to be friendly. I peeked at their red eyes from under my hat and my mouth tightened in disgust.

A second later, both groups seemed to relax. Frenchy held up the baseball almost as a peace offering. "I believe this belongs to you," he said courteously. He tossed the ball to Carlisle. Faster than I could blink, the Doc snatched it out of the air without taking his eyes off the trio.

Carlisle twisted the ball in his hand to get a better grip and nodded respectfully. "Thank you."

"I am Laurent," Frenchy introduced. "And this is Victoria, and James." Victoria gave a slight nod in greeting, a strange smile on her face, almost like a mixture of amusement and mocking. James merely stared at us.

"I'm Carlisle. This is my family." I didn't miss how Laurent's eyebrow rose at the word, _family,_ but he politely greeted us with a hello.

"I'm afraid your hunting activities have caused something of a mess for us," Carlisle went on.

Laurent looked repentant. I didn't have to wonder if he was just being nice because of the size of Edward's family. It was easy to see that manners were bred right into him. "Our apologies. We didn't realize the territory had been claimed."

"Yes, well, we maintain a permanent residence nearby," he explained.

Laurent couldn't hide his surprise when he heard this. "Really?" He turned to look at James, as if seeking the man's approval. The vampire didn't acknowledge the look. He and Edward were locked in a staring contest that I wanted no part of.

"Well, we won't be a problem anymore," Laurent continued, despite the lack of response. "We were just passing through."

Carlisle nodded. "Excellent," he said, but I heard a note of desperation creep into his voice.

Laurent either didn't hear it, or chose not to acknowledge it. "So, could you use three more players?" he asked eagerly. No one responded. "Oh, come on, just one game?"

Carlisle's tone changed as he responded. "Sure, why not? A few of us were leaving. You can take their place. We'll bat first."

Ah, he'd noticed an opening to get me out of here. Smart guy. I hoped he was smart enough to tell me where they were going. I wanted to track them down later.

He tossed the ball to Laurent, but Victoria's hand reached out and grabbed it. "I'm the one with the wicked curveball," she boasted.

I felt some of my anxiety ease as Jasper spoke. "Oh, well I think we can handle that," he drawled. Emmett _ohhed_ in response.

Victoria and Laurent turned around and clapped their hands together in an awkward high-five. "We shall see," she whispered.

James didn't move.

I fought to keep my eyes from locking onto his. No doubt he would notice the dull brown and figure out that I wasn't one of them. I kept my gaze on the ground and noted that none of the newcomers had any shoes on. I wondered how I hadn't noticed before. I was getting sloppy.

Finally, he began to turn away…

…and then the wind picked up.

James's head tilted up and he sniffed the air like a dog. Then he turned to me and smirked. "You brought a snack."

For the next second, I felt like I was chained to a comet. Both James and Edward lurched forward into crouches. Then the Cullens - including Rosalie, much to my surprise - and Victoria and Laurent followed suit, growling like lions and tigers and werewolves.

Esme pulled me back and wrapped an arm around my shoulders protectively. Her other hand was free to fend off any attacks. My own hand was underneath my jacket, finger resting on the trigger of my gun, safety off with a muted _click_. My headache came back with a vengeance, only this time there was no vision.

I stared at James as the pressure built up behind my eyes and I knew -_ knew - KNEW -_ that if he tried that again, I could stop him from touching me. I could stop him from _moving_ altogether! If I concentrated hard enough, I could shatter him to pieces, just as I'd done to the light bulb at home.

Honestly, why had I even brought a gun?

My moment of insanity disappeared along with my headache as Carlisle spoke. "The girl is with us. I think it best that you leave."

I never knew the Doc could sound so scary.

There was silence for a half-second as the trio's eyes locked on me. I gave them my best _don't mess with me _look; the one I'd mustered up every day in hell. It had been enough to make more than a few demons hesitant to go near me, and it seemed to have the same affect on Laurent.

"I can see the game is over. We'll go now." He took a step backwards and glanced to his right. "James."

The blond vampire lifted himself out of his crouch in a huff, and Victoria followed quickly behind him. They turned their backs on us arrogantly even as Laurent kept me in his sight. James leaned in and whispered something to the redhead as he wrapped an arm around her affectionately. She leaned toward him in response, glancing back once to look at me. I barely restrained myself from sticking my tongue out at her.

Finally, Laurent spun around and they hurried into the forest.

"Get Bella out of here," Carlisle ordered Edward. "Go!"

Instantly, he grasped my elbow and led me to the jeep in a rush. I flicked the safety back on my gun and grabbed my seat belt. Edward moved with barely restrained violence as he started the jeep and drove us out of the field.

"Listen to me," he ordered. Desperation coated his words as he explained. "James is a Tracker. The hunt is his obsession. I read his mind. My reaction at the field set him off. I just made this his most exciting game ever. He's never gonna stop!"

I grasped his shoulder firmly. "It's fine, Edward. I've been in worse jams then this," I said soothingly. I didn't like this panicky, furious Edward. Finally, I registered that we weren't heading back to my place. "Where are we going?" I demanded.

"Away from Forks," he answered. "We'll catch a ferry to Vancouver, and then-"

"I _cannot _leave my car!" I yelled, startling him.

"Forget about the car! Alice will look after it."

"No! You don't understand, Edward!" I fought to explain this quickly. "My whole life is in that car. I have my passports, and my fake I.D.s. Do you have any idea how hard it is to make those realistic?" I asked rhetorically. "Not to mention my journals, and my weapons. Please, Edward, I _need _these things to protect myself. Do you want to leave me defenceless?" I questioned.

"I'll look after you," he said.

"You can't protect me from everything, Edward," I told him. "You don't know how many things are out there, and you don't have a clue how to stop them if they come after me. Turn this jeep around and get me home, or I will jump out!" I unlocked my seat belt and reached for the door handle, just as he swerved onto the side of the road. I held onto my seat as he spun around, and then I put my seat belt back on.

"Fine," he clipped. "But just two minutes. Grab everything you'll need, and then we'll go back to my house and try to think of how to lead them away."

"_Way _ahead of you, Superman." I smirked. "This isn't the first time I've had to make tracks. I know a few tricks."

We arrived at my house in just a few minutes. I unlocked my seat belt again and jumped out onto the driveway. I then ran inside the house, leaving the door wide open, and snatched my keys off the kitchen table. Time was running out, so I took the stairs two at a time up to my room. I pulled my duffle bag out from under my bed, and packed it full with some clothes, a flask of holy water, and a bag of salt. I gave my room one last glance, telling myself that it was just because I wanted to make sure I didn't forget anything, and not because I was worried I'd never see it again.

My journal sat on my desk next to a pencil. I tucked it under my arm and then raced downstairs. Once there, I took out my cell phone.

"Bella, we don't-" Edward cut himself off. He looked out the window, searching for something.

Or some_one._

Perfect.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Hey guys. I know it's late. But I have a good excuse(s). I was a little sick last week, so I wasn't in the mood for writing, (or eating, moving, opening my eyes), but I'm feeling much better now. The second reason is (try to hold in your squeals of joy) I started the next chapter of _Talent Search!_ Wahoo! Go me!

Now, let's be reasonable. I'm not going to have it up for a while, but I _will_ update it as soon as I can.

What could Bella's plan be? And what about the fire from her vision? You'll find out in the next chapter.


	14. The ShadowMan

Hunter

Hey, guys! I'll be going to my Great-Aunt Trix's wedding this Sunday, so I'll probably spend the seven-hour drive up there writing. If I don't get carsick, that is.

Here's chapter fourteen.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

"Alice and Emmett are outside," Edward said, but I had a feeling he wasn't talking to me. James was close enough to hear us now.

I held my finger up in front of my lips, and dialled Jo's cell number. I let it ring once, and then I hung up and repeated the action. Jo picked up on the second ring.

"Hey, Bella, you know I have caller I.D. now. You don't need to use the hang-up code anymore." Her tone was mocking, but in a playful sense. It was so good to hear her voice.

"Can't be too careful. What if it was someone just _pretending_ to be me? That little code might just save your life. Or, more importantly, mine."

Jo laughed. "So, what's up?" she finally asked.

I leaned back against the wall, the epitome of casualness. "Honestly, I can't handle this anymore. Do you have any idea how _boring_ normal teenagers are? I mean, if they're not complaining about tests or homework, they're gossiping about who's going to _prom_. Ugh!"

"Yeah, I know. Mom made me go to high school too, remember? I was the freak with the knife collection," she reminded me. "So, what do you need?"

"You still got that credit card I loaned you last year? You know, the one that actually has my real name on it?" I prayed she did.

"Of course! I use it all the time. Hell, I even make payments on it."

I pumped my fist in the air and hissed, _yes_. "Awesome! Listen, where are you right now?"

"Um…I'm somewhere in Wyoming. Riverton, in Fremont County."

"Riverton, Wyoming. Good, now listen closely; take that credit card and get a room in the first hotel listed in the yellow pages. I need a diversion for the other Hunters to track while I go see if I can get Renée to listen to logic for once."

"Wait! You're getting back into the business?" she asked. She sounded relieved. It was a welcome change from her previous mood "That's great! Actually, I could use a little insight."

"Yeah?" I asked, suddenly interested. Edward was anxious, I knew, but I couldn't turn down a chance to help Jo.

"I've been working a case, but it's going nowhere. I don't even know what I'm Hunting. I'm thinking it's a rugaru."

"Rugaru, nasty. Don't their bones, like, _move_ under their skin or something?" I asked with a trace of disgust, picturing it by accident.

"Yeah, that's it, but it doesn't fit what I've found. Whatever this thing is, it's been leading people to it, not just mindlessly attacking them. I talked to a little girl, and she said she got an email from her dead mother. That's when the dad called me. He thinks they're being stalked. They're the third family who's received an email from a dead loved one."

Something about her story brought back a really bad memory. "What exactly did the email say?"

"Hang on, I've got a copy." I waited, listening to the sounds of shuffling paper over the phone. Edward's eyes kept zeroing in on something out the window. I motioned for him to calm down. If James was gonna attack, he'd have done it by now.

"Here it is!" Jo cried triumphantly. "Okay, it says, _'Hi, baby, it's Mommy. Did you miss me? I missed you. Come outside. I'm waiting for you. Come to me.'_ Creepy, huh?"

"Come to me," I repeated. My eyes widened in remembrance and I snapped my fingers. "It's a crocotta," I told her.

"A croc-what?"

"Crocotta," I repeated. "They're described as being the coupling a wolf and a dog, but they can take on human form. Back in the day, they would lure people into the forest by mimicking the voice of a loved one. Then they'd eat them. Nowadays, they're a little more modern. Thank you, Charles Babbage," I said sarcastically.

"Who?"

"Never mind. What do the bodies look like?" I questioned.

"I wouldn't call what was left of them _bodies._"

"Yeah, crocottas don't exactly leave much behind. Except a mess. They like to hang around in filth. Mom and I went after one just after Charlie died. The thing emailed me while I was in the library, pretending to be him. It wrote the same thing, _come to me._"

Jo let out a sigh. "You're a lifesaver, Bella. I owe you one."

"Just make sure no one comes after me while I'm in Phoenix. Last I heard, Renée was still working a job down there. I'm heading over right now."

"Good luck, you'll need it." She hung up, and so did I.

"Come on, Superman, we're outta here." I shoved my cell phone into my pocket and opened the door. I stared out into the darkness, daring James to come out and face me. I turned to Edward. "Is he here?"

He shook his head. "No, he took off. Alice can't get a fix on him. He's moving too fast, but at least he's gone for now." He looked at me angrily. "What was _that _all about?"

"It's called strategy, Superman. Do try to keep up. I just told Goldilocks _exactly _where I'm going, so that'll be the last place he looks." I walked over to my car and opened the driver's door. "Hurry up; we've got to get to your place before he comes back."

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Less than three hours had passed since I woke up this morning, and already I was in a race against time. When the Cullen house finally came into view, I let out a relieved sigh. The door to the underground garage was wide open, so I went inside and found a place to park. Emmett and Alice drove in after me in Emmett's jeep. The garage door shut behind them. Other than that, the room also contained Edward's Volvo, a black Mercedes S55 AMG, and Rosalie's red convertible.

"It's like a frickin' car show," I muttered. We got of the Impala and shut the doors simultaneously.

Suddenly, Edward let out a low growl. I looked at him quickly, and then followed his gaze to the open door at the far side of the garage.

"It's alright, Edward," Carlisle called out. He appeared in the doorway, and walked down the stairs.

Laurent was right behind him.

"He came to warn us," the Doc explained. Emmett and Alice flanked behind Edward and me. Rosalie, Esme, and Jasper stood behind Carlisle. I could tell Laurent wasn't very comfortable, surrounded like this.

Laurent looked at me with curiosity. I raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what he thought of a human who hung around with vampires.

"James is Tracking us," Edward snarled at him.

Laurent didn't appear offended by his anger. "I was afraid of that. You must understand. He is absolutely lethal. I've never seen anything like him in my three-hundred years."

I felt a smirk start to grow on my face. Laurent hadn't seen anything like _me _either.

"I won't get in the middle of this, but I am sorry about what has been unleashed on you." He gave me another curious look. "Are you sure it's worth it? She's just a human."

The smirk finally broke free. "Hardly," I quipped. "But, if you _do_ come across James, remind him again about not playing with his food."

I saw his mind working, trying to understand my bazaar statement, and then his eyes widened as he remembered. His mouth fell open.

I winked at him.

Edward touched my back, as if warning me not to say anything else. I gave him a look that clearly stated my feelings on that matter.

Finally, Laurent composed himself, swallowing visibly. "Yes…well…I will be sure to do that…if I see him again…" He drifted off, still staring at me with bewildered, somewhat frightened eyes. "I would like to leave now."

Carlisle nodded. "Go in peace," he said formally.

Laurent backed toward the door farthest from me, and then booked it. I shook my head and laughed a little. "What a wimp!"

"What was _that _all about?" Alice asked.

Great, another catchphrase.

"Nothing much," I said, casually strolling back to my car. "I just reminded him of something he said a week ago, while they were killing Waylon." My voice took on a hard edge as I thought of him.

"Nice," Emmett commented. "You scared him good, Bella." He grinned at Edward suddenly. "She's great, man! I haven't had this much fun in _years_."

I gave him a little bow, and opened the trunk of my car. "Glad to be of service."

"What are we going to do, Edward?" asked Esme.

"Bella and I are leaving town. Emmett and Jasper can hunt James down before he finds her," he answered.

I looked at the boys in question, and shook my head. "Overkill," I muttered, reaching into the trunk to search for the combination lock that opened the false bottom. It was too dim in here to see it clearly. I leaned in closer, straining to see the numbers.

"I've fought our kind before. Not easy to kill," Jasper drawled.

"But not impossible," Emmett insisted.

"I don't relish the thought of killing another creature, even a sadistic one like James," Carlisle said forlornly.

"You don't have to," I said stubbornly. "Edward's simply being paranoid. I could _totally_ take him out." I finally managed to put in the right combination. _03-13-93._ The same day a demon paid my house a visit.

"Bella," Edward scolded. "You have no idea what he's capable of. And if Victoria helps him-"

"I can handle it," I said, rolling my eyes. I pulled open the false bottom and revealed my arsenal. I had two axes, one regular, one a pickaxe, a shovel, rope, a flashlight, a flare gun, lock picks, a wooden stake, a taser, a pair of brass-knuckled gloves that had been soaked in demon blood, demon blood-powered bullets, three shotguns, two revolvers, including the one I had on me now, seventeen packs of matches, three lighters, a flamethrower, a home-made accelerant, chalk for drawing Devil's Traps or other symbols, another canteen of holy water, three protection charms, two bags of rock salt, a few more knives, a crossbow, my EMF reader, a first aid kit, and the most important object of all…

…a vial of demon blood.

Sure, it was about as long and wide as my pinky, and half-empty at that, but just a few drops of this stuff was enough to supercharge any household object into a monster-killing nuclear warhead.

I held it up to the light and wrinkled my nose. It smelled a lot worse than I remembered. I squinted in disgust and tipped the vial back and forth. The red-black liquid inside sloshed against the rubber stopper. The smell only intensified, so I put it back into the trunk. The odour hung in the air, but I knew it would disperse soon.

Edward went on as if I hadn't said anything. "I'm gonna run Bella south. Can you lead him away from here?"

Carlisle shook his head. "No, James knows you'd never leave her. He'll follow you."

"Jasper and I will go with Bella," Alice chimed. "Even if he _does _find us, he won't stand a chance." She smiled at me as I gazed at her from over the propped up trunk's lid.

Edward seemed torn, but finally, he nodded. He pulled out one of my sweaters. My eyes zeroed in on it, wondering what was up. "Rosalie, can you put this on so the Tracker will pick up Bella's scent?"

"Nice," I commented, realizing his plan. Maybe he was smarter than I gave him credit for.

"Why? What is she to me?" Rosalie retorted.

Carlisle stepped in, sensing a fight. "Rosalie, Bella is with Edward. She is part of this family. We protect our family."

_Family comes first, Kiddo._ Renée's voice echoed in my head as Carlisle spoke. I smiled to myself, feeling almost like everything was normal.

You know, apart from the bloodthirsty vampires that wanted to track me down and eat me, but that wasn't too unusual in my case.

Jasper edged closer to me. His chest was still, showing that he wasn't breathing. He caught a glimpse of the arsenal in my trunk, and gasped loudly. He took on an almost pained expression when he smelled my scent, or maybe it was the demon blood that bothered him.

"Do you actually _need _all of that?" he asked in disbelief.

I shrugged. "Not all the time. The protection charms are a bonus. For your garden-variety poltergeist, I just need a shovel, some salt, a lighter, and the accelerant. And a shotgun filled with rock salt. With vengeful spirits, you gotta dig up a body and salt-and-burn the remains. You load the shotgun with rock salt just in case the guy you're burning comes after you. Trust me, they're essential in Hunting."

Jasper raised an eyebrow, and I realized that I'd gotten everyone's attention again. "You've dug up bodies?" he asked.

I nodded. "Since I was twelve or so. Maybe a little younger. It's not as bad as you think. You get used to the smell. Of course, having Casper The Bloodthirsty Ghost coming at you in a graveyard is another matter."

He smiled. "I can imagine."

Emmett wandered over, curious. His eyes widened. "No _way!_ You have a _flamethrower!_" He reached in to grab it, but I whacked his hand with the butt of my revolver. He pulled his hand away in surprise, and I saw a thin crack along two of his knuckles. "That hurt!" he exclaimed. He sounded surprised.

"Serves you right! That is a very dangerous piece of equipment, not a toy," I said sternly.

He stuck out his bottom lip like a toddler. "But it's so _cool!_" he insisted.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine," I gave in. "I'll let you try it out later."

"Oh, dear," Alice said forebodingly. "I'll have to hide my wardrobe."

I gave Emmett a harsh look. "Are you planning to set your sister's clothes on fire?"

His eyes widened innocently. "No."

I barely restrained myself from hitting him again. "Such a bad liar," I grumbled, rolling my eyes.

He grinned at me shamelessly, and then gave the flamethrower a longing gaze. I shut the trunk with a loud slam. Then I hopped up onto it as Edward and the others continued to plan.

"Alice and Jasper can take Bella to Phoenix, Arizona. Her car's back windows are tinted, so they should be alright in the daytime, as long as they don't expose too much skin," he told them.

"Got that?" I said, indicating to the couple. "No make-out sessions in the Metallicar."

Emmett sniggered in response. Jasper looked amused, but he kept his distance.

"It would probably be safer to travel by plane," Carlisle suggested.

I nearly fell off the car when he said that. I stumbled and managed to keep my balance as I stalked toward him.

"No, _no, NO!_ If there is one thing I do _not _do, it's fly," I protested.

"It would be quicker," Carlisle reasoned.

"And a helluva lot more dangerous too. I can't take my weapons with me because of all the airport security, and that includes the salt and holy water. They're so _paranoid_ about people setting off bombs that they don't even realize how screwed they'd be if some demon took the plane on a joyride! And with my luck, it'd choose the one _I'm _on! Then your little escape plan would go straight to the scene of the crash!"

"She has a point," Alice decided. "Besides, we'll make good time if Jasper and I drive at night. It shouldn't take too long." Jasper nodded in agreement.

I let out a sigh of relief. "_Thank_ you."

"Alright," Edward acquiesced. "But you'd better leave now. Call when you get there, and try to stay out of trouble." He then turned to Rosalie and Emmett, motioning for them to come with him. "Let's go lay the false trail and lead the Tracker away from them."

Emmett grinned broadly again. "Sweet! I almost hope he catches up with us. Then we could have some fun."

From the look on his face, it seemed Edward hoped for the same thing.

"You guys better be careful," I cautioned.

He smiled at me reassuringly, and took my face into his hands. With more care than was strictly necessary, he planted a kiss on my mouth. It took every ounce of self-control I had not to jump him right there, but my Hunter instincts were still in charge. He pulled back and gave me a satisfied smile. "Easier all the time," he murmured.

I raised one eyebrow at him. "Are you calling me _easy?_" I teased.

He laughed and turned without a word. Emmett held up his hand to give him a high-five, but Edward left him hanging as he headed for the front door.

I opened my door and gestured for Jasper and Alice to climb into the backseat. "There's plenty of room, but mind the bloodstains," I said nonchalantly.

Jasper's eyes widened a little as he surveyed the seat cushions. Most of the stains were old and faded, but I was pretty sure his eyes could detect every one.

"There's a blanket under the seat if the sun makes you too sparkly, or whatever." I got into the driver's seat and put my seatbelt on. Then I rooted around my tape collection as Alice and Jasper did the same. Finally finding the one I wanted, I stuck the cassette into the tape player and turned the volume up.

_Please allow me to introduce myself,_

_I'm a man of wealth and taste._

_I've been around for a long, long year,_

_Stolen many a man's soul and faith._

_I was 'round when Jesus Christ,_

_Had his moment of doubt and pain._

_Made damn sure that Pilate,_

_Washed his hands, and sealed his fate._

_Pleased to meet you!_

_Hope you guess my name!_

I waited for the garage door to open again, and then we began the long journey to Phoenix.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

I drove for eight hours before Alice volunteered to take over. She and Jasper sat in the front while I lied down across the backseats. My head rested on one of my sweaters, which made a pretty decent makeshift pillow. I was used to sleeping in the Impala, but the circumstances made it difficult to calm down. I was on high alert; ready to jump up and start shooting the instant I sensed danger.

I shifted so that I faced the seat cushion. My headache was back too, worse than before. I pressed my palms up against my eyes, and moaned softly.

"You okay?" Alice asked, instantly vigilant.

"She's uncomfortable, and in pain, I think," Jasper responded.

"What he said," I mumbled.

They were silent for a few seconds, and then I felt a soothing wave of calm wash over me. It did nothing to dull the pain, but I felt myself drifting off. "Thanks, Harpo."

I heard Alice giggle, and then I was back in my nightmare.

_Fire!_

_I stood in the middle of a room, surrounded by an angry, roaring firestorm. But there was no heat. I moved through them as if they were shadows, towards a wooden desk. The flames licked at its legs, but I remained unharmed. On the desk was a notebook. Newspaper clippings stuck out in all directions. I reached for it and turned to the first page._

_Daniel Elkins_

_I gasped, and looked around, hoping - _praying -_ that I wouldn't see what I knew I would._

_There, sprawled near the doorway, lay Daniel Elkins's body. I moved toward him, wanting to drag him out, perhaps to try CPR or something - _anything!

_But then I saw someone watching me._

_I froze as I caught a glimpse of Its bright yellow eyes. Other than that, It was concealed by shadows. Even the bright flames surrounding It did nothing to reveal Its face._

_I fought creatures straight out of my worst nightmares. I sold my soul to a demon. I went to hell, and suffered through more tortures than I thought possible._

_And yet, my terror during those moments didn't even come _close_ to what I experienced when the shadowed creature took a step toward me._

_Whereas before I had moved around freely, now I was paralyzed. My heart raced, and my breathing became shallow. A whimper escaped me as the Shadow-Man reached out toward me. Up close, I could smell burning sulphur. My eyes itched, and I realized I was crying._

_The Shadow-Man tilted Its head to the side as Its hand finally reached my face. Its thumb gently ran over my cheeks, wiping away my tears._

_If I thought my fear couldn't be more palpable, It proved me wrong when It spoke in a rough whisper, "Don't cry, Angel."_

_It felt like electricity just zapped down my spine. I trembled. My teeth chattered together until I clenched them firmly together. "_Don't…call me_…_Angel."

_Instinct more than anything made me reach for my knife. I felt the familiar handle in my grasp and quickly unsheathed the blade. The air whistled as I thrust forward, hoping to stab this thing right between the eyes…_

…_and then it caught my arm._

_I gasped as It tightened Its grip just above my wrist. I struggled to pull away, forgetting everything I knew about self-defence, and relied on primitive fight-or-flight instincts to save me._

"_That's not very nice, Bella," It scolded gently, mockingly. I could almost _hear _the smile in Its voice. "But I'm not too concerned about your personality. It's perfect for my plans."_

_Curiosity made me pause. "What plans?" I demanded angrily. Whatever this thing did would be bad. I had no doubt about that._

_It made a strange sound, almost like a sigh, but then I realized It was laughing._

"_What's so funny?" I yelled, renewing my struggles. This time I was calmer, and I remembered my training. I thrust my left hand, palm forward, toward Its face. If I broke Its nose, maybe the pain would be enough of a distraction for me to finish It._

_But again, It caught my arm. Then It gripped both my wrists in one hand, and twisted me around so that my back met Its chest._

_The smell of sulphur overwhelmed me. I gagged, and fought to get away, but whatever this thing was, It was strong._

_It took my chin in Its free hand and turned my head so that I saw Its burning, yellow eyes up close. I glared at It, baring my teeth in anger. It laughed again, longer and louder than before, and Its breath washed over me._

_All the fight left me in an instant. My knees buckled. I went limp in Its arms. My eyes rolled around in my head as I struggled to focus. "What the…hell?" I questioned drowsily._

"_Don't worry, Angel, I'd never hurt you. I have such _plans_ for you," It whispered menacingly._

_I opened my mouth to protest…and Its lips settled over mine._

_The kiss shocked me back into action. I elbowed It in the chest as hard as I could. It laughed again, releasing me from Its embrace. I backed away quickly, shaking with fury._

"_I will see you very soon, Miss Colt." It held up a gun, and I froze, wondering if It would shoot me._

_But wait!…No…it couldn't be._

"_The Colt?" I gasped._

And then I woke up.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Yeah, yeah, I know it's a horrible cliffhanger, but I'm at over four-thousand words already! Besides, I still have half an hour before class starts and I want to continue working on _Talent Search._

Oh, and the song is _Sympathy For The Devil _by _The Rolling Stones._ You should all totally listen to it. I'm gonna be using it in a lot more chapters.

I'll catch you later.


	15. The Showdown Begins

Hunter

Yes, I know, I'm evil. I have my excuses, though! I had to do three _huge _projects in the past few weeks. It's Wednesday now, and this is honestly the first time I haven't had homework to do during my spare. Still, I have to do my vocal midterms, which involves singing in front of my entire class. It's cool though. I've done it eight times before already. It's kind of nerve-wracking, and I'm not really sure if I'll be able to hit all the notes without my voice cracking. I'm gonna have to make sure I'm warmed-up.

Oh, I've read how some of you don't like that I'm sending Bella to Phoenix. Let me stress that there is a _very _important reason for this. It's to aid in the future plot.

Here's chapter fifteen.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

"Bella, seriously, you're starting to scare me," said Alice. "You don't know if your dream was real. We should keep heading for Phoenix."

I ground my teeth together furiously. "You don't understand, Alice. I _know_ it was real. Whatever this thing is, it takes precedence over two psycho bloodsuckers." I pushed my foot down harder on the gas pedal.

"Slow down, there's a speed cop up ahead," she warned. I obeyed reluctantly.

"Tell us again, what is so important about some gun?" Jasper questioned. "Is it really worth putting yourself in danger?"

"_Yes!_" I growled in response. "And it is not just _some gun._ It's The Colt, created by Samuel Colt himself back in 1835. He made it for a Hunter." I risked a glance at Jasper in the backseat. "They say this gun can kill anything, and if that _demon_ gets a hold of it…" I didn't bother to finish my sentence. My car groaned as I pushed it to go faster.

_Don't give out on me now, Baby._

"Renée and I found it once a few years back. We never got the chance to try it out, unfortunately. Abby stole it, the little, British _bitch_. Still, if Abby took it, then it must be worth _something._ She only steals the best."

Alice looked at me, clearly frustrated. "Who's _Abby?_"

I bit my lip. "She's a thief, but a damn good Hunter too. I saved her life once. Some vengeful spirit was taking out people who'd committed murder. First you saw this ship, a then a few hours later…" I took one hand off the steering wheel and raked it across my throat.

She blanched, which was pretty impressive considering how pale she was. "Okay, but if Abby was a thief, why would she give the gun to another Hunter?"

"She probably didn't give it for free. Daniel's broke, but he's an old hand. She probably traded for some information. Might've been something to do with her demon deal." I paused. "What I wonder is, why the hell didn't Daniel tell us about it? It's no secret that we've been looking for that thing for ages."

I didn't tell them the second alternative, that Abby gave the gun to a demon. Something like that might be enough to get her out of her deal.

Maybe I was naïve, but I just couldn't see her sinking to that level.

Then again, knowing you're damned made you do crazy things.

"She made a deal?" Alice asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

I nodded. "That's what Jo said. I don't know the details, but I'm guessing she didn't realize what she was doing. She's twenty-three now, but her birthday's coming up soon, so she'd have been about fourteen when she made her deal."

I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. "I hate it when demons go after kids."

We sat in silence for a few minutes until I saw the sign for Manning, Colorado. My heart sped up as I recognized Daniel's house off in the distance.

No smoke.

Good.

That meant the demon hadn't set the place on fire yet. Maybe there was still a chance to save Daniel.

I pulled up on the driveway and got out, slamming the door behind me. Alice and Jasper followed. Deftly, I opened the trunk and tossed Jasper one of the rifles. He caught it. "You know how to shoot?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow at me, then nodded.

"Good," I said tersely. "You guys stay out here. It'll be hard enough convincing Daniel not to shoot me. I don't need a couple of vampires making the guy go _Terminator _on me."

After making sure the coast was clear, I ran up the driveway and pounded on the door.

"Daniel! It's Bella Colt! Open up! This is important!" I paused for a second to listen.

No answer.

I tried the knob, expecting it to be locked. To my surprise, the door opened. "This isn't right," I murmured.

Suddenly, I had the urge to run. Adrenaline pumped through my veins. I broke out in goose bumps, yet sweat poured down my forehead.

No, something was _not right._

"I'm coming in!" I shouted. My voice cracked. I shoved the door open and fumbled around for the light switch. The bulb hanging from the ceiling bathed the room in a yellow glow when I finally found it.

The inside of the house was just as bad as the outside. The wooden walls showed clear signs of mould and decay. Water dripped from a tap in the kitchen sink. The furniture was sparse and practical. Daniel's house only had three rooms, a living room/kitchen/dining room, a bathroom, and his study.

Off to the side, I saw the bathroom, sink rusted and toilet stained with God knows what, so that left only the door in front of me.

My hands felt like lead as I held my gun up in front of me. "Daniel, if you shoot me, I swear to _God _I'll come back and haunt your ass!" I yelled, advancing slowly. The floorboards creaked beneath me. I kept an eye out for knotholes and loose boards. I wasn't kidding when I said Daniel was broke. The rent for this place was probably in the double-digits.

_Focus, Bella!_

I reached for the doorknob with one hand, holding my gun up with the other. The rusted brass knob shrieked as I turned it. I gave the door a kick to open it, then I took two steps back, keeping my gun trained at chest-level.

The room was pitch-black. My eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness, knowing that if anything was inside, I was completely visible to it.

Just as I realized this, the light behind me flickered, and the study went up in flames.

It wasn't like my dream. _This _fire could burn me. I took another two steps back to get away from the heat, shielding my eyes with one hand.

As I peered through the flames, I could just make out two yellow eyes looking back at me.

A cold knot of fear swelled in my stomach, radiating down my legs and making them tremble.

It was happening again. Only this time, I wouldn't wake up when It tried to shoot me.

I saw It raise one hand, fingers splayed out, and the fire rushed toward me.

_No! I'm not going back! Damn you! I'm NOT…GOING…BACK!_

I mirrored the demon's posture, holding out my right hand in front of me. My heart pounded and my head throbbed in sync. My blood boiled. Black spots appeared at the edges of my vision. Everything moved in slow motion. I saw the flames coming for me, hungrily licking at the wooden floor and walls. My muscles tensed, braced for impact, and then…

The fire retreated, and the study door slammed shut.

For a second, I stood there in silence, then my headache brought me back to reality. I collapsed, pressing my palms against my eyelids. This was so much worse than usual. How much more could I take?

"Bella?" Alice's fingers touched my temple, and the pain started to ebb away.

"She's in pain," said Jasper. "We need to leave. Now."

The urgency in his voice motivated me to stand up. I clutched at my head with one hand, still squeezing my gun with the other, and allowed Alice to lead me back to the car.

"Should we call Edward?" Alice whispered.

"No," I groaned. "Don't bother him. I'll be fine."

I saw the vampires exchange a look before I collapsed into the backseat. As the darkness took me again, I heard Alice whisper, "How did she hear me?"

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

? POV

"_Perfect,"_ I hissed. Her abilities had emerged, and grown at such a rapid pace. My favourite soldier exceeded even _my own _expectations. The Plan was going smoothly.

_It would be such a waste if that pitiful little vampire did away with her…Still, if she cannot even handle _that_, then she is not worthy._

I smiled. "This should be quite the show."

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

We barely made it to Phoenix before dawn. Alice and Jasper hid in the hotel room with the curtains shut, safe from exposure as the sunlight crept over the city. I paced around the room as they sat there motionless. The television was on, but no one was watching it.

I didn't like it. Sitting around like this. Something was out there. Something mean and nasty and scary enough to give _me_ the creeps. The sooner Edward and the others finished off Goldilocks and the redheaded harlot, the sooner I could start tracking down the Colt _and _that demon.

Anger rolled off me in waves as I thought about that yellow-eyed bastard. I was sure It was the same one that crashed a semi into the Impala, nearly killing Renée. I had to find that Thing, and I had to make It pay.

And yet, here I was, hiding out in some damned hotel room, and all because my new boyfriend was too scared to let me deal with a couple overgrown mosquitoes!

I huffed and collapsed on the couch beside Alice, crossing my arms and tilting my head back. "Are they dead _yet?_" I whined.

Alice shook her head a little, still staring forward. "Why don't you go take a nap or something?" she suggested.

"As if I could sleep," I muttered, turning my attention to the television. As soon as I looked away, Alice gasped.

"What is it? What do you see?" Jasper prodded anxiously.

"The Tracker," Alice murmured, "He just changed course."

"Where will it take him, Alice?" he continued.

"Mirrors," she said obscurely. "A room full of mirrors."

Deftly, Jasper took out a pencil and paper. Alice scribbled furiously, drawing what looked like a doorway…with a very familiar arch.

"That's Mr Tenma's Martial Arts Studio," I said, shocked.

The vampire couple looked up at me, clearly surprised. "You've been here?" asked Alice.

I gave a half-shrug. "I took lessons one summer when I was ten. Mr Tenma turned out to be a shtriga." I shrugged again. "As far as I know, the place has been abandoned ever since."

"A shee-_what?_" Alice repeated, clearly stunned.

I shook my head a little. "Shtriga," I corrected. "They're kind of like vampires actually, except they feed on _spiritus vitae_, _life essence_. They mostly go after children. Only way to kill one is to shoot it with iron rounds while it's feeding."

Jasper flinched. "You mother used you as bait?" he asked as understanding dawned in his eyes.

I gave him a hard look. "Better _me_ than some kid who can't defend himself. It all worked out in the end."

The corners of his mouth turned down in displeasure, but he nodded. "I guess when you're fighting a war, sacrifices must be made," he said sagely.

"This place, " Alice began, looking down at her drawing, "Is it in Phoenix?"

I nodded. "Yeah, it's just a ten minute drive from here." The implications of this struck me and I bit down on the inside of my cheek. "Damn it, he knows where I am."

"He knows you mentioned Phoenix," she corrected. "It could just be a wild guess. Still, we should head out tonight, just to be safe."

I huffed. "I hate this. I feel like such a coward." I turned around and headed for the bedroom.

"You don't know what he's capable of," Jasper insisted. "He's dangerous, Bella."

I paused at the doorway. Quietly, without even sparing them a glance, I countered with, "So am I."

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

We sat around all day, waiting for the sun to set. With only half an hour to go, Alice and Jasper went downstairs to check us out and to decide our newest destination. They were thinking Alaska, but I couldn't get caught at the border with a dozen unlicensed weapons. I wanted to go to Lawrence, Kansas. Missouri lived there. She would understand what went on, and she'd do her best to help. Failing that, I could always knock on Bobby's door again, although he might be a little less welcoming when I introduced my new, undead friends.

I sighed and shook my head.

_Ugh, my _head!

The pain built up behind my eyes, a familiar feeling by now. The world around me blurred as I steadied myself against the dresser. I blinked, leaning my face against my duffle bag.

"_You lay one hand on my daughter-"_

"_You should be more worried about yourself."_

"_What the hell are you?"_

"_You'll find out soon. Now, I want you to give Bella a call. She's close by."_

"_She's not even in this _state!_"_

"_Really, are you sure? Well, I guess we'll find out. You'd better hope she's close by, because I'm still hungry."_

I groaned as the voices faded. There was no picture that time, only darkness, but I _knew_ that voice. I'd recognize it in my sleep.

"Mom."

I lurched away from the dresser and stumbled toward the window. We were on the fourth floor, but the fire escape was just two windows down.

I leaned against the windowsill, breathing heavily as I tried to gain my balance. I needed to do this carefully. Once I was outside, Alice and Jasper wouldn't be able to get me until the sun went down.

I didn't stop to wonder if that was a bad thing. All I knew was that I needed to get to that studio, and I needed to finish off that cocky bloodsucking son of a bitch before he destroyed my family.

My vision finally cleared, so I pried the window open and climbed out onto the ledge. Luckily, it was dark enough that no one saw me as I crept along the side of the building and climbed onto the fire escape. I took the stairs two at a time and sprinted into the parking lot. I got my keys out and nearly ripped the door off the Impala as I pulled it open. Slamming it shut, I started the engine and tore out of the parking lot. With one hand, I opened the glove box and grabbed my leather gloves. If it came to fisticuffs, at least I wouldn't break my hands. The demon blood soaked into the fabric absorbed any impact they took. I could punch through a two-foot concrete wall with these babies.

I was in a race against time. My visions were unpredictable. Sometimes they showed me something happening hours in the future, sometimes seconds. I wasn't sure, but a sense of urgency made me think that I didn't have much time.

Just as I thought this, my phone rang.

I didn't have to check the number to know who it was. I gripped the steering wheel tightly and reached into my pocket to answer. I pressed the talk button and held it up to my ear, waiting for him to make the first move.

"Bella," my mother's stern voice began, catching me off guard, "No matter what this guy says, you do _not _listen, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," I said automatically. I hadn't intended on listening to him anyway. I was armed and pissed off, and I was just about ready to go Carrie on his ass. Goldilocks didn't have a clue who he was messing with.

"I wouldn't agree to that," his slimy voice intoned. "Not if you want to see your mommy alive again."

I refused to answer as I swerved around the corner.

"You're in your car," he stated, sounding curious. "You're not running away, are you?" he jibed.

"You wish, Goldilocks," I retorted. "Colts don't run from monsters. Monsters run from _us._"

"Really?" he replied, and I could almost _see _the smile on his face. "Then where _are _you going?"

I felt my mouth form into a strange smile. "Right now, I'm about a five-minute drive away from you. You should've listened to Laurent, James, about not playing with your food. If you'd have left, I probably wouldn't have come after you, but now…" My smile vanished as I caught my reflection in the rear-view mirror. The look on my face was eager, bloodthirsty, malicious. I recognized it from somewhere, but I couldn't quite remember. Whatever it was, I didn't like it. It made me want to hurt somebody.

But, I needed that desire now, if I was going to save Renée.

"You made a _big mistake_ messing with my family, so I'm gonna have to make you pay."

There was a quick pause. "You think quite highly of yourself for a human."

"I'm not a human," I said. "I'm a Hunter. And you, Blondie, are gonna find out exactly what happens to leeches who threaten the people I care about."

With that, I hung up and pushed down harder on the gas pedal. I let my mouth run away from me again, but _damn_, that felt _good_.

The old Martial Arts Studio finally appeared. The tires squealed as I sped into the parking lot and got out of the car. In seconds, I had my weapons out. I reached down into the trunk and pulled out the vial of demon blood, ignoring the burning smell. The matches and the accelerant came next, as well as a lighter, just in case. I took out my knife, comforted by the familiar weight.

_Get in, kill him, get out. There's no need to put Renée in any more danger._

I found the side entrance and kicked the door in. It broke in two, weakened by rot and the effects of my demon blood-drenched shoes. I slipped in through the hole and looked around.

_Damn it! Should've brought a flashlight. Well, no going back now._

I couldn't risk using my lighter. I didn't want James to know I was armed. Luckily, there was still enough light from outside to see the outlines in the room. My eyes would adjust in a minute.

The vampire definitely knew I was here, so there was no point in being subtle.

"Renée, where are you?" I called.

Alice and Jasper were probably still waiting for the sun to go down. I hoped I could finish this before they arrived.

I took a step forward and stumbled over something. It made a hollow thumping noise as I did so. I looked down, straining to see in the growing darkness. Dread filled me as I recognized the shape.

I'd know it anywhere. I'd spent a good potion of my life looking at them. I'd seen enough of them even in pitch-black to identify what it was.

A body.

Not just any body either.

I knew that jacket.

I knew those jeans.

I knew that hair.

"Mom."

My voice didn't sound like my own. It sounded distant, weak. The only other time I'd ever sounded like that was when I was chained up in hell, praying that someone would get me out before Alastair came back with his knives.

For a moment, the hurt was too much. I felt numb. I leaned down slowly and rolled her over. Her skin was still warm. Her eyes were open. Her nails were all torn up. She'd fought.

_Of course. Colts always go down fighting, except for me._

I slid her eyelids shut and bowed my head.

"Never again," I murmured, and then the anger flooded in.

I stood up and slammed my hand into the mirror beside me. The glass broke into a thousand pieces. Without a thought, I popped the cork off the vial and splashed the demon blood against the shards. It hissed as if it was acid. The smell was unbearable. Still, I refused to gag, to show any sign of weakness. Instead, I pulled out my knife and held it out threateningly.

"That does it!" I yelled. I pulled up my sleeve and scraped my knife against the bare skin of my arm. "Smell that? You want some white meat, bitch? I'm right here! It's chow time, you freaky bastard! Bring it on, baby! I taste _goood!_"

A low chuckle alerted me to his presence. He appeared, standing in the middle of the room. He still wore Waylon's jacket. His blond hair was tied back in a ponytail.

I felt a headache start to build at the sight of him. My hand clenched around the hilt of my blade. I wanted, so badly, to plunge it into his smirking face again, and again, and again…

"Sorry about that," he said, indicating to my mother. "She smelled very good. Not as good as you, but still…" He lifted his head and sniffed the air like an animal. "The man wasn't enough to abate my hunger. I must admit, your mother took his death in stride. She was quite brave."

"Don't flatter yourself," I spat. "We've faced things a lot scarier than you, Goldilocks."

He chuckled again. "And yet, I'll be the one that kills you."

I felt The Smile grow on my face again. "Oh…I don't think so."

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

I gotta make this quick. I only have five minutes until class starts. I've already started the next chapter, though, so don't you worry about waiting another month. It's tough, though, making it to 3700 words. I can only hope that you'll be patient enough to stick with this.

Adieu, my faithful readers.


	16. Agony

Hunter

Hey, everyone! I said I'd update quicker, and I have. It's not as fast as I'd like, but I can't exactly beg my teachers for no homework just so I can write all afternoon.

Speaking of afternoons, I spent yesterday's sleeping on the couch, trying to sleep off a headache. I really sympathize with Bella Colt. She gets one nearly every day. Because of this, and the fact that I couldn't get back to sleep afterwards and it is currently about three a.m., I decided now would be an opportune time to write. Plus, I'm staying home. I got four hours of sleep and I'm about ready to conk out at any moment.

Alrighty! Let's get on with the next chapter.

Warning: (Never done one of these before, but I think I should add it in) This chapter contains scenes of torture. Really vicious, but completely deserved torture.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

My head pounded in time with my racing heart. I had never felt more alive than I did that moment. Power, infinite, all consuming, and intoxicating, flowed through me, eager to serve. Instinctively, I knew what to do with it.

I lifted my hand and clenched it into a fist, an action strangely reminiscent of Darth Vader's Force Choke. I wasn't in the mood to laugh about it, though. I was furious. In the words of _Fight Club's _Nameless Narrator, _I felt like destroying something beautiful._

James didn't _look _beautiful to me, even though his features were as perfect as any other vampire's were. Still, the reference popped into my head, and it felt _right_.

_On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero. And your time has arrived, Goldilocks._

James tried to walk toward me, but his feet stayed rooted to the ground, held in place by mental chains, more penetrating than the ones I still felt around my wrists and ankles in my nightmares. He grunted in surprise, glanced at his feet, trying to see what was stopping him.

I lifted my other hand and sent the largest shard of the broken mirror right through his chest.

The look on his face! Shock, disbelief, and the first stirrings of fear.

"Wha-what _are you?_" he choked, spitting up a clear liquid that ran down his chin. His venom? I wasn't sure, and it didn't matter anyway.

I sent another shard his way, this one piercing his left arm. He grunted and jerked against the invisible bonds. I held him still effortlessly.

This was incredible! Was it really only a week ago that I could do nothing more than make the lights flicker? I felt like an old pro.

I sneered at him. "I'm the most badass thing to ever claw its way outta hell, my friend." One more shard, this one aimed at his knee, made him roar with pain. "You know what hell is like, James? I doubt it. People think they know what suffering is, but the real thing is _so much worse_." Another shard sliced into his right shoulder. "You'll find out soon enough, but I've got at least ten minutes to give you a preview."

I concentrated and sent out a mental shove. James landed on his back, the glass dug into the wooden floor, making it impossible for him to squirm without feeling it slicing up his stone organs.

I stalked towards him, holding my knife in a tight grip. The vampire's eyes widened in fear, and I couldn't suppress my elation. A voice in my head shouted, telling me that this was wrong, but I didn't listen to it. My head was so crowded with memories. I saw Renée in her hospital bed, dying. I saw the Crossroads Demon smirking at me with piercing red eyes. I saw that yellow-eyed son of a bitch watching me through the flames, baiting me with that gun.

Guns. Who needed them? I was unstoppable.

I crouched down and sat on his stomach, my knees sitting just below his armpits. I took my knife and held it up for him to see, then I slashed the blade along the right side of his throat. He gargled, and more venom seeped out of the wound.

"Most people don't know how to slit a throat," I began conversationally. I mentally tugged his left arm up and smoothed the fingers out. "They tug the head back and just rake their knife across it." I clicked my tongue and slid my knife beneath the nail of his index finger. His eyes widened even more and he started shaking his head, still gargling at me in protest.

"See, tilting the head back means that the windpipe moves forward a bit, protecting the jugular vein and carotid artery." With a flick of my wrist, the nail ripped off. James shut his eyes and opened his mouth in a silent scream.

"What you want to do is tilt it forward. Then, you jab the knife into the right side of the neck and slice outwards. It minimizes blood spatter, and you don't even have to do too much damage. The heart does all the work for you."

As I continued my monologue, I sliced off the rest of his fingernails until they all rested in a pile on his chest.

"Of course, you'd know about that, being a vampire and all. I bet you know all the best spots to make a person bleed. I know I do. But I bet you _didn't _know how sensitive the nail root, also known as the _radix unguis _is. Alastair always started with my fingernails, then my toenails, and then my eyes." I paused. "I hated being blind, not knowing where he would cut next." I reached up and ran my knife along his cheek. He closed his eyes so tightly that the lids trembled with effort. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna cut yours out. I want you to watch."

With that said, I mentally tugged up one of the floorboards and snapped it into four pieces. I then lit a match and threw it onto the pile. The fire spread slowly. I reached down and plucked up the amputated nails, then casually threw them onto the growing blaze.

James moaned as they vanished into the fire. It hissed hungrily, as if pleased by the sacrifice. I felt The Smile grow on my face again. "Here's an interesting fact. Did you know that you only need one eye to see?"

I didn't give him time to react as I plunged my knife into his left eye. As I slid it out with a gooey _pop_, rather reminiscent of pulling something out of wet cement, I heard him curse. I looked down at his throat and saw that it had almost completely healed. "Well, what do you know. This is just like hell all the way through. Doesn't smell as bad though. You're lucky in that sense. You know what sulphur smells like?"

His remaining eye squinted up at me in fury. "The…thing that told me where your mother was smelled like that."

I froze and stared at him blankly. A slow smile spread across his mutilated face at my reaction. "He told me exactly how to get to her, and that it would lead you right to me. He said he would be watching the show." He laughed, a garbled, painful sound. "Whatever you do to me, you still have to deal with him."

He laughed again, but I ignored it. "What colour were his eyes?" I asked.

He grinned. "Why should I tell you?"

Slowly, remorselessly, I positioned my knife above his remaining eye. "His _eyes_, James," I said in a voice that allowed no argument.

"Yellow," he answered, staring up at the knife.

So, It finally did it. It finally killed my mother.

I let out a feral scream and hacked at his remaining eye. This time he really did scream in pain, but I was deaf to it. I then raked it across his shoulders, severing his arms from his squirming torso. I didn't bother with his legs. He wasn't going anywhere. Instead, I plunged it into his chest and neck, tearing up the stone flesh and releasing more of his venom. It spattered on my arms and face, but I didn't stop until the flesh under Waylon's jacket was in ribbons.

With one final move, I sliced right through his throat. His head rolled to the side. I picked it up by the hair and tossed it into the dying fire. The second it landed, the flames ignited once again, drawn toward the venom. I realized that the accelerant was unnecessary. Vampires were _very flammable_, or at least their venom was. I threw in the rest of James and stood there watching the smoke rise.

I was still numb from the adrenaline, but as I regained my senses, I realized that my nose had started bleeding at some point. I lifted up my arm to wipe it off with my sleeve, only to realize that it was still pulled up over my elbow. I started to tug it down, but a sharp burst of pain made me pause.

I stared at it in confusion, until I remembered that I'd sliced up my arm to draw out James.

Mystery solved, I chose to ignore it and simply wiped the blood off with my gloves.

The fire crackled. I took a cautious step back. I still had a clear path to the exit, but fire was unpredictable and I needed to be prepared just in case.

"I almost wish I was in hell just so I could see how much you're suffering," I murmured. "After what you did to my mom, you deserve to rot there."

I shuddered as my arm began to sting badly. I tightened my left hand into a fist and decided I would bandage the wound when I got back to the hotel. Right now though, I needed to take care of something.

I walked over to Renée and touched her face. She was colder now, even with the fire burning so closely. Tears welled up in my eyes and I frantically blinked them away. Colts never cried. We were strong and brave and we fought to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. There was no time for tears.

I had work to do.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Edward's POV

Finding out that Bella had disappeared was quite possibly one of the worst moments of my life.

"What do you _mean?_" I hissed, too low for humans to hear. Esme let out a soft gasp, her thoughts frantic with fear. Carlisle's mouth tightening in anxiety. Even Emmett looked worried. Rosalie was apathetic, but at least she wasn't actively gloating.

We were stuck in the shadows of the hotel lobby until the sun went down. It would only take a few minutes, but every _second _counted. Bella could already be dead.

My dead heart rejected that thought even as my mind plotted. Asking my family to end it was too cruel for them. Better to ask an impartial vampire for the gift of death. Aro and his brothers would surely find allowing Bella to know about us a violation of the rules, even if she was de-

Still, Aro liked Carlisle. He wouldn't want to do anything that might cause a rift between them. Perhaps if I explained it to my family first so that they would know that this was entirely _my will_. I wanted this. I would beg Aro to punish me in place of my family. He could find no fault in them once he read my thoughts. And if he still wouldn't…

I went over the rest of the rules in my head even as Alice explained her visions of an old martial arts studio just a short run from here. Immortal child? No, I couldn't condemn an innocent child along with me. Rosalie would kill me herself if she knew of that thought.

What remained? Hunting in their city? There were bound to be some criminals in Volterra. Some murderer or rapist of which I could do away with swiftly. That would bring down the Volturi's wrath in seconds. They were very protective of _their city._

"Edward!" my sister hissed furiously. "Don't even think about it. I won't let you."

I stared at Alice, her shoulders reared up and her face a mask of fury.

Jasper looked at me sympathetically, perhaps guessing my thoughts through my emotions. "We don't know if she's dead. Alice is having trouble seeing them. For all we know, she changed her mind and is heading back right now."

I doubted that. Once Bella decided something, there was little anyone could do to stop her. I stared out the window, counting the seconds as the sun drifted lazily behind some buildings.

"Now?" I hissed.

"Not yet," Alice replied, her brow narrowed in concentration. After seventeen seconds, she strode toward the door at a brisk human pace. My family and I followed quickly behind her. Several people took one look at Alice's fierce expression and got out of her way. Very intelligent of them too, because, through Jasper, I sensed that she was ready to start tearing heads off if it meant getting to Bella sooner.

She drove me crazy sometimes, but I loved her more than ever at that moment.

Once outside, we spared no time talking. The darkness was our ally. Above us, the red light of the sun still shone in the far west, but we were shielded by shadows. We ran at top speed through alleys, using Alice as a guide to keep us from being spotted. I easily pulled ahead of them. Light pollution prevented me from using the stars as a guide, but Alice shouted directions to me with her thoughts.

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of dodging streetlights and people, I finally arrived.

I spotted Bella's car instantly and rushed over to it, praying that she had gotten smart and was waiting inside for one of us to come help. Of course, it was empty. I resisted the urge to smack the siding, knowing that if Bella was alive she would probably shoot me if I damaged her car, and if she wasn't…

No time to worry about that! I needed to find her.

It was then that I noticed the smoke billowing out of the windows of the studio.

I couldn't sense any thoughts from inside, but that didn't mean anything. James could have taken off, leaving Bella's body-

Someone had destroyed the side door. I slipped inside, bracing myself for the worst…

And then I smelled her.

I'd been away for so long that my wretched body screamed at me to hunt, too _feed_, but I maintained complete control.

"Bella!" I called, hearing unbridled happiness in my voice the likes of which I had never heard before.

Bella peered over at me and smiled weakly, clutching her arm as if in pain. "Hey, Superman. You're a little late. Lois Lane already dealt with the psycho-leech."

I wanted to hold her in my arms and kiss her and order her to never do that again, but at that moment, I finally noticed the other smells in the room. Bella's scent always distracted me from everything else, yet I should have noticed the sickeningly sweet smell of burning vampire.

And death.

A body lay at Bella's feet, already showing the first signs of decay, undetectable to humans. Short brown hair, pale skin, pretty features. I knew this face.

"Bella," I whispered. I didn't know what to say or do. I had little experience in dealing with grief.

"I have so much to do," she said, her voice never wavering. "I need to find out where they were staying before someone calls the cops. My guess is the walls are covered with articles on recent murders and it's never a good idea to let the feds in on anything. Next thing you know, they call you a murderer and stick your face up on _America's Most Wanted._"

This wasn't right. Was she in shock? Surely, she had to feel _something._

"I'll need to call Bobby," she continued. "And Ellen. She'll probably offer to adopt me at this point." Suddenly, a strange smile spread across her face. "Oh, man, after all these years, I'm finally an orphan."

I was quick enough to catch her as she started to collapse. Her face was white and her muscles were all tensed. "I don't feel so good, Edward," she said in a small, childish voice.

Up close, I smelled dried blood, _Bella's blood._ I fought for control as I laid her down on the ground. "Bella, did he bite you?" I asked, praying that Alice's vision wasn't coming true. I wouldn't be able to stand it if my beautiful angel looked at me with red eyes.

Her jaw tightened. "No, why?"

"I smell dried blood," I answered truthfully, wondering if perhaps she was hiding an injury, or simply unaware of one. Adrenaline had that effect on humans, didn't it?

"Edward!" Alice's shrieking voice caused me to look up. "Something's wrong! I can't see anything!"

Jasper touched her shoulders gently, sending out a wave of calm. "It's all right. It's probably just temporary, like before."

I narrowed my eyes as I caught a glimpse of Jasper's thoughts. They'd taken a detour to someone's house, and Alice's visions had stopped working. Something had…neutralized them somehow.

The rest of my family finally arrived, obviously surprised by the lack of homicidal vampires.

"Oh, _man!_" Emmett lamented, "Just great! Bella gets to have all the fun!" He pouted. "I still wanna play with that flamethrower," he muttered, crossing his arms.

"Ah!" Bella cried out, her body trembling. "Darn, I…must have pulled a muscle or something. My arm feels like it's on fire." She peeled her eyes open and smiled up at me reassuringly. "Is this a good time to ask if the Doc has any morphine on him?"

Carlisle rushed over, but paused as he finally noticed Bella's mother. "Oh, Lord," he whispered, crossing himself automatically.

Bella forced herself into a sitting position and looked at Renée's body with calculating eyes. "I need to find Phil's body too. They need to be cremated. I'll have to make some calls, find out if anyone can finish this Hunt for them." She stopped speaking and groaned, squeezing her eyes shut.

I gripped her arm and pulled her hand away, revealing a long, thin cut, most likely made from a knife or a sharp piece of glass. And within the cut I saw…

"Carlisle," I moaned, though I felt like screaming. "There's venom in her wound."

He leaned over to get a closer look, just as Bella thrashed in pain.

"Son of a _bitch!_ Goldilocks better _pray _I'm not dying, otherwise I'm gonna tear hell apart until I find him! Then I'm gonna rip his scalp off, and shove it down his frickin' _throat! _God_damnit!_"

"Goldilocks?" Emmett repeated, the only one not startled by Bella's graphic threats.

"Bella, it will be okay," Carlisle comforted, allowing his medical training to take over. He ripped his shirt and tied it above the cut, keeping the small amount of venom from spreading to her heart. Still, unless Bella was willing to lose an arm, this was a temporary solution at best.

"What do we do?" I pleaded. "I can't this happen to her."

Alice raced over and crouched beside me, holding Bella's should down as it trembled. "It's going to happen, Edward. I've seen it."

I shook my head. "No."

"Maybe…" Carlisle wondered aloud.

I saw what he was thinking, and felt hopeful. "Are you sure that will work?"

He gently took Bella's arm and held the wound up to his face. "I should be able to suck the venom out without taking too much blood," he explained.

"No!" Bella cried out, jerking her arm in his grip. The windows above us shattered, startling Carlisle enough so that he let her go. "Not you. Edward. I want Edward to…" She clenched her teeth together, stifling a scream. A crack appeared in one of the mirrors, branching out and growing bigger until the glass burst onto the floor.

We watched in amazement. My mouth hung open. I swallowed. "Bella, did you-?"

She cut me off, pushing her arm closer to me. "Hurry up! Before I bring this whole building down by accident!"

I took hold of her arm gently, looking to Carlisle for guidance. He nodded at me slowly.

"Start putting the fire out," he ordered, attempting to give me some privacy.

_Man, this guy is _toast!

Emmett's thoughts helped me relax. I concentrated, calling forth all my decades of control, as I leaned down and placed my mouth over her wound.

It took every ounce of effort not to bite down the second her blood coated my tongue. I wanted, _so badly_, to just keep drinking. Underneath this sweet ambrosia, I tasted James's venom. The fact that this foreign agent existed inside _my Bella_ made me jealous. She was _mine!_

I looked down at her eyes as the pain finally started to clear away. "I think…you…you got it all, Superman," she whispered.

Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder. "She's right, that's enough, son."

For a second, my grip tightened, but then I unlocked my jaw and fell back with a gasp, catching myself with my hands. I licked my lips, still desperate to taste her.

"Damn, that frigging _stings!_" Bella whined, finally sounding back to normal. She clutched her arm, but I saw that she was in no real pain anymore.

Carlisle untied the tourniquet and rubbed her arm soothingly as the circulation returned to it.

Bella climbed to her feet, wobbling slightly. I was up and steadying her in a quarter-second. "Easy, Bella."

"Easy schmeasy," she countered childishly. "Come on, we gotta get going. James said that that yellow-eyed bastard led him to Renée. We gotta find him."

I blinked. "Yellow-eyed…the _demon?_ The one who caused that car crash? He's here?"

"Maybe," she replied, scoping out the damage from her fit. Broken glass lay everywhere. I wondered if her shoes were thick enough to protect her feet.

"James said that It would be watching." Her eyes narrowed, and she started shouting, surprising everyone, "Is that right, you smoke-bitch? You wanna piece of me? Come on! I'll send you right back where you came from!"

I stared at her, wondering if the blood loss had affected her mind, but then I heard it…

A soft, low chuckle, like the sound of kindle wood burning in a fireplace.

"_Not yet, Angel…but soon…"_

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

I'm gonna put up a short epilogue for this part of _Hunter_. It's not the ending. Don't hyperventilate. It's just the ending to this _part._ I figure I'll probably end up writing about fifty or so chapters for this story. The _New Moon_ edition is going to have some very interesting changes. But I won't spoil anything. You'll just have to read it to find out.

I'll update again soon.


	17. Bleed

Hunter

Yeah, I know. I'm a bastard. But I'm updating now, so you just behave. This chapter is really short, but let me just remind you that it's a filler until I get to Part 2.

You guys would not _believe _the week I've had. My entire county was completely snowed-in. They actually had to rescue some people on the 402 with helicopters because of the weather. I had to wade through thigh-deep snow just to get out of my driveway! The power shut off twice, which is just _perfect_ considering the temperature's -15 degrees Celsius (5 Fahrenheit)! My house was freezing! I had to go over to a neighbour's house, but of course, their generator broke down. Man, I hate winter!

The only good thing that's happened is that I've started reading _Let Me In_ A.K.A _Let The Right One In_. It's another vampire book, but it seems more in line with canon vampire lore. I like it.

Oh, and I might as well tell you now. Edward _is _going to leave her, but I'm going to change how she reacts, and what she does during those four months before she befriends Jacob.

Anyway, here's chapter seventeen. Enjoy!

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Bella's POV

"You don't have to stay here," I explained to my silent vampire boyfriend. I knew he was there, hovering over me as I lay on my back, underneath the Impala. There was definitely an oil leak. I hoped I could fix it before it started to rain again.

We were back in Forks. I had all of Renée's journals and research tucked away in my room. It looked interesting, but I couldn't bring myself to read any of it just yet. It felt too invasive. Renée never let me look at her journal without permission, and that discipline seemed to reach past the grave.

We'd burned her body in a desert near Phoenix. Phil's too. We'd found it in their hotel room. Luckily, the manager hadn't checked on them, otherwise we would've had a bunch of nosey cops asking unanswerable questions.

I had my own questions, like why the hell was a demon so interested in killing Renée? Sure, Hunters were pests, but this seemed so…personal.

"I want to be here," Edward told me. "Are you sure you don't need any help? Rosalie-"

I snorted loudly. "If you think I'm letting that Thorn anywhere _near_ my baby, you must be missing a few buttons from your remote control."

Edward was silent for a few seconds. "Why do you call her _Thorn?_" he asked.

"You know the old saying, 'Every rose has its thorns.' I thought it was appropriate."

"I wish you'd try to get along with her better."

"I will when she stops acting like a royal bitch!" With that, I shimmied out from under the car and then popped the hood. Everything was fine, but I needed something to do with my hands. I grabbed a wrench and started tightening every slightly loose bolt.

"I'll talk to her if you want. She really is sorry about how she's treated you, but she just doesn't know how to apologize for it."

This placating, cautious Edward got on my nerves. I wished he would just yell at me to stop being so childish. Mom would never let me get away with this attitude.

_But, mom's not here right now._

I paused for half a second, then resumed tightening another bolt. "It's not that hard. All she has to do is say, 'Gee Bella, I'm so sorry I insulted your mother and basically mocked your entire heritage. I know that you've spent your whole life saving people, something that I have never even thought to do despite my supernatural advantage. I really hope you can forgive me for being such an asshole even though I'm scum compared to you, and I hope you'll accept an invitation to a fancy ball where we can get dressed up in sexy dresses and show off our ridiculously hot boyfriends.' Honestly, is that really so difficult?"

Edward said nothing, just wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and rested his chin on my head. I stopped moving and breathed in his scent, forcing myself to calm down.

"That's the first time you've mentioned your mother since…" He trailed off.

"Since James used her for a chew toy?" I finished bitterly. I felt Edward flinch and he stepped away, leaving me feeling empty.

"Do you think…maybe…you should talk to someone?" he asked hesitantly. "I don't mean a psychiatrist or anything. Just someone who'll listen. You haven't even told anyone at school. Maybe the school counsellor-"

"Who? Landon? Great idea, Superman. I'll just chat with the guy who thought Renée was abusing me! Come on, Edward, I'm seventeen. Next thing I know I'll be in some foster home with people who won't let me salt the windows or use protective symbols! I might as well just call up Alastair and tell him to send a hellhound to pick me up." I tightened the last bolt with a flourish and slammed the hood down harder than necessary. I turned around and finally met his eyes.

Edward looked awkward, nervous. I was scaring him, I knew, but I just couldn't make myself stop snapping.

"Maybe you could talk to me," he ventured one last time.

I needed him to leave, before I lost it.

"You know, you're right," I said, watching his face fill up with hope. I didn't want to crush it, but the words kept coming. "Come here, I want to lay my head gently on your shoulder. We can cry, hug, maybe even slow dance."

The hope vanished as he realized I was mocking him. Worst of all, I didn't see anger, just pity. I hated that.

"Can you please just leave me alone for a little while?" I begged.

He couldn't deny me that. Slowly, he walked to his car, nodding at me as he drove past.

I leaned against the Impala, closed my eyes, and tried to pretend that any minute Renée would yell at me to get in the car, that we were leaving for another town to kill another monster.

I couldn't do it. I couldn't summon her face or her voice without remembering the edge of panic from my vision, or her body at my feet.

James's death had been too quick. I hoped Alastair was tearing him to pieces right now.

I stood up slowly, opened my eyes…and then slammed the wrench into the windshield of my car.

The glass shattered, falling onto the seats in all different sizes and shapes. I brought the long wrench up again and pounded it against the hood of the car, denting it. I did this again and again until I lost count, until the metal was twisted and gnarled like a rocky cliff side. Then I started on the driver's door, slamming into the handle until it broke off and clattered to the ground. It was only after I heard the sound that I realized I was crying.

I threw the wrench at the front door of my house and collapsed, my back pressed against the side of my car. I put my hands over my face and screamed, not caring if anyone heard me. I tasted blood and realized that I'd cut my hand. I licked the rusty liquid, savouring the burn it caused in my throat. I wanted revenge. I wanted to bathe in the blood of that yellow-eyed son of a bitch, and I wanted to be the one that made him bleed.

_I am going to find you_, I vowed. _And when I do, God help me…_

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Like I said, short, but this is just a filler. I'll update again soon. You'll get to see some of the things Renée has been doing since Bella came back, and you might be surprised.

Later, guys.


	18. Birthday Blues

Hunter

Hello, my old friends! My grandma came for Christmas and she stayed until January. She turned seventy-four on January 3rd and she stills runs around like she's twenty! She already cleaned the house, (don't yell at me about making her do anything; she seeks this stuff out like a bloodhound), and she prepared Christmas dinner for fifteen people.

And no, I wasn't exaggerating about the weather. People actually _were _rescued by helicopters. My step-dad's a truck driver, and he said that one of his buddies got stuck in a snowdrift on Monday, and didn't get out until Wednesday. The poor guy was running out of gas and just about frozen by the time he was rescued. It was seriously messed up. Hopefully this doesn't happen again. It was the worst storm we've had in over twenty years!

One more note, guess whose birthday was on December 26th! I'm nineteen! That would be a lot cooler if I intended to drink, but at least I can go into casinos and comedy clubs. And karaoke bars.

Alright, enough of my babbling, it's time to get back to _Hunter_.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

September 13th, 2010

_Death was all around me._

_I didn't have to see it to know. _I could smell it._ A rotten, pungent, sickly-sweet smell, overshadowed by sulphur._

_I bit back the urge to vomit, knowing that it would do no good to add to the putrid decay. I couldn't see anything through the red haze that hung in the air like a macabre fog._

_Did it rain blood in this nightmarish world? Was the ground encrusted with severed limbs and exposed organs? If I tried to move, would one of those amputated hands reach out and wrap its fingers around my ankle?_

"…_Angel…"_

_The voice was only a hiss, nearly indiscernible from my own shallow breathing, but I heard it nonetheless._

_I growled in response, spinning around in place as I tried to locate where it came from._

"_Where are you?" I shouted. Fearlessly, I strode forward, not bothering to check and see if I was going to step on anything unspeakable. Thankfully, I didn't._

"_Come out and face me!"_

_Soft laughter sounded to my right. I spun on my heels, grasping desperately for my knife._

_Damn it! I was unarmed!_

_Suddenly, large, shadowed hands appeared before me through the red fog, reaching out to encase my arms in a burning, inescapable grip. I tried to kick It in the chest, but before I could move, I found myself pressed against It._

_The scent of death and sulphur overwhelmed me. I gagged, twisting my head to the side, though a part of me thought it would be just deserts if this thing got a face full of whatever resided in my stomach._

_Somehow, I managed to keep it together. I couldn't move my arms enough to punch It, and kicking was out too. It didn't react as I slammed my feet into Its shins, as if oblivious to any pain I might have inflicted._

"_My my, Bella. Always such a temperamental little thing," It said condescendingly._

_I looked at Its face. All the features were hidden by shadows, except for Its burning, yellow eyes. Despite the lack of visible expressions, I could _feel _It smiling. "Get the hell away from me!" I demanded as threateningly as possible._

"_Why would I do that? I've spent so long searching for you." It leaned closer and sniffed my hair, then moaned with pleasure._

_I jerked back in disgust. "What the hell do you want with me?"_

_It hissed into my ear. "Oh, Bella, ssssoo many things. There are ssssoo many things I want to do with you."_

_I squirmed in discomfort. "It'll be a cold day in hell before you get anything from me," I countered automatically._

_As if in response, the red haze dispersed, taking the fiery hot warmth that I'd hardly noticed until now with it. I shivered, teeth chattering as the yellow-eyed monster released one of my arms and wrapped Its own around my back, keeping me pressed against Its chest. It moved Its free hand to my face; Its fingers abruptly ice cold as they made a path down my cheek, to rest on my chin._

_It was nothing like Edward's cool, loving hands, caressing my face so delicately for fear that I might shatter any second. Its touch was so cold it _burned_, and I couldn't imagine my vampire boyfriend being so forceful just to satiate his own desire._

_It ran Its thumb along my parted lips, chuckling darkly as I shivered, completely helpless in Its grasp._

"_Bella, my beautiful Isabella, have you forgotten so easily that hell is _already cold?"

_I whimpered as It leaned down, positive that I would soon feel Its glacier lips on mine…_

_Then suddenly, It froze._

_A growl escaped It, shattering whatever hold It had on me. I twisted out of Its grip, conscious that It had _let _me go._

"_Who is that?" It shouted. For the first time, I heard anger in Its voice. "Show yourself!" It demanded, much as I had earlier._

"…_Leave…" A new voice, so smooth and impassive that it could have been the hum of a computer monitor. It was loud, and, for some reason, I thought that whatever it was, it seemed accustomed to being obeyed._

_The yellow-eyed being growled again, more savagely than before. It reached out with lightning speed to seize my arm. "And if I don't?" It asked, tightening Its grip._

_The voice came again, louder this time, yet still strangely lacking in emotion. "You will_ _release the child, or I will be forced to intervene, Azazel."_

"_She's mine!" It - Azazel snarled possessively. He reminded me of a toddler in the midst of a tantrum, only focused on his desires. "Go back where you came from! She's mine!"_

_For a second, there was silence. I felt the spark of hope I hadn't realized I had vanish as my possible-saviour didn't reply._

_Then, there was light._

_It filled the dark, empty world, spreading out from some point in the sky, burning away the shadows and the scent of decay._

"_Noooo!" Azazel cried out in fury as the light reached him. He released my arm to shield his gaze from the brilliance, reacting as if the very sight made his eyes hurt like a wasp's sting._

_I stood, unafraid of the light that destroyed everything around me. It wouldn't hurt me. It couldn't. It wanted to protect me, and some part of me wanted to protect the being from the sky who had rescued me._

_The light was warm and safe, and strangely familiar. I touched my aching arms, feeling the bruises that Azazel had given me. The light seemed to sense my discomfort and wrapped itself around me. The pain vanished, and I sighed contentedly._

_Azazel still snarled with fury, but I sensed he was retreating._

"_You will not harm the child," the voice said, and this time I heard a touch of anger in it. It didn't frighten me, though; despite how much I felt it _should.

_Azazel's presence finally disappeared, and I was left standing in a world of light._

"_Thank you," I said, trying to put as much gratitude into those words as I could. "Thank you so much."_

"_You are most welcome, Isabella Colt."_

"_Call me Bella," I replied automatically, not worried in the slightest that this amazingly powerful being knew who I was. "And what's your name?"_

_There was another short pause, as if the being was unsure of how to answer that._

"_Do you have a name?" I asked, confused and somewhat forlorn. I wanted to know my rescuer. I wanted to see his face._

"_My name," the voice repeated slowly, then with renewed confidence, he answered, "My name is Castiel…"_

_I felt the light start to drift away, and started to panic. "Wait! Don't go! Can I ask what you are?" I searched around me in desperation as the darkness began piling in again. "Castiel, please! What are you?"_

_Softly, a word trickled down to me through the growing shadows. "…Angel…"_

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

The guitar solo of _Enter Sandman_ blared in my ear, waking me up with a start. I shook off the lingering remnants of my dream, filing away the important details for later. Reaching blindly over to my nightstand - it was pitch-black in my room - I punched the talk button on my cell phone, stopping the music.

I cleared my throat and said, "Hello?"

"_Hiya, Hells Bells._"

It was only after I heard the voice that I realized I'd forgotten to check the caller I.D. That was a serious problem. I was too relaxed. I had let my guard down. The fact that it was 4:00 a.m. on a Monday was no excuse. I was a Hunter with a death sentence from all sides, and I couldn't afford to be sloppy.

Still, if I hung up now, she would know that I hadn't checked first, and she would throw that in my face the next time we met.

I summoned up as much contempt into my voice as I could. "What do you want, Abby?"

"_What, can't I call an old friend on her birthday?_" the thief/Hunter replied in a mockingly fake hurt voice.

"You are _not _my friend!" I growled. "You stole the Colt, you nearly got my mom killed, and you _shot me!_"

"_Don't be so dramatic. I hardly grazed you. And Renée made it out okay._"

"And the gun?" I pressured.

"_It caught my interest. It was nothing personal, Hells Bells. I would have stolen it from anyone._"

"Yeah, a family heirloom that can theoretically kill demons and save thousands of lives, and all you care about is what you can get out of it. If that's how you treat your friends, how do you treat your enemies?"

"_I don't have any enemies._"

I bit my lip and forced myself to calm down. "What do you want, Abby?" I repeated. "You didn't call when I got out of hell. You didn't call when Renée died. What do you want?"

"_I wanted to tell you that you should be careful._"

I squeezed my eyes shut in annoyance. "I _am _being careful. Haven't you heard? I did what Renée told me to. I'm retired. No more killing monsters or fighting demons. I'm done with that."

"_But they aren't done with you._"

I shot up in bed. "What are you talking about?"

"_I can't give you any real details. Nobody has a bloody clue what's going on, but something is definitely coming._" This didn't sound like Abby. The girl I knew was playful and taunting, never serious.

"Look," I said, trying to reassure her, "I'm all sealed up in a demon and spirit-proof house. If anything comes for me, I'm ready for it."

"_No, you aren't._"

I growled in frustration. "Well then, how about you give me some more information so that I can _get _ready? I'd kind of like to live to see another birthday."

"_All I know is that it's somehow related to demons. They're getting stronger._"

"Yeah, I know. Jo told me about that."

"_The little Harvelle girl? _Please_, she doesn't have a clue. There are at least three hundred possessions in the States alone, and those are just the ones we know about. I can guarantee that whatever they want, it'll mean serious trouble for Hunters in particular._"

I felt a hollowness in my chest. _Three hundred…_This was serious. I couldn't afford to let this go on any longer without doing anything.

A small, selfish part of me just wanted to ignore everything. Why should I let a few demons destroy everything I had with Edward just to save some strangers' lives?

_I'll sleep on it,_ I thought. Everything was clearer after a good night's sleep - not that I had many of those anymore. A fragment of my dream came back to me, _the icy hand touching my face_-

And besides, I needed a game plan. I couldn't just go rushing headfirst into a demon bloodbath. That was suicide.

"What are the others doing about this?" I asked.

I could almost see her rolling her eyes before she replied, "_What do you think? They're running around, trying to track down as many of them as they can. A useless endeavour, as you should well understand. The only way so many of their kind could get up here is if something much more powerful is breaking them out. All they're doing is wiping the blood off the ground when really they should be stitching up the wound._"

I didn't reply for a long moment. Something about what she said nagged at me, conjuring up a memory.

"_Hello? You there?_"

"I'm here_,_" I replied. "What you said…about something powerful breaking demons out of hell…do you think it's possible that it broke _me _out too?"

This time it was Abby's turn to pause. I waited, holding my breath until she could collect her thoughts.

"_I don't know,_" she said eventually. "_This isn't anything we've dealt with before, so I suppose we should keep our minds open, but Bella…if whatever this thing is brought you back, I can only imagine what kind of plans it has for you._" She paused again, and then said,"_Be very careful._" She hung up before I could respond.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

I couldn't get back to sleep after Abby's phone call. Instead, I booted up Ash's computer, intent on finding out as much as I could about Azazel.

To my annoyance, there was only that one article that even mentioned his name - the one about the nuns. Other than that, there was just page after page of so-called _miracles._

I had to hand it to him, Yellow-Eyes knew how to play the game. With over fifty deals made in less than two years - and those were just the ones I knew about - Azazel was clearly dedicated to his work.

This was why it was so strange that he hadn't come to collect.

As far as I could tell, only a few of these people were dead, and those who _had _had died at the wrong time. A normal deal lasted ten years. From what I saw, none of these people had died more than three years ago, about seven years longer than even the most generous Crossroad Demon would offer.

I switched the laptop off and huffed. Nothing, no new information, as I already knew. I checked the time and, seeing that I only had an hour before I had to leave, started getting ready.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

On my way to school, I stopped to grab a coffee. Even though I poured in enough milk and sugar to change the liquid from dark brown to a light cream colour, I still couldn't ignore the bitter aftertaste. I drank about half of it on the way to school, just for the caffeine, and then dumped the rest into a storm drain and threw the plastic cup into a garbage bin at the edge of a curb.

I was overly tired, paranoid, and now my breath stunk.

I fished around inside my glove compartment and managed to find a half-empty package of minty fresh gum. I tossed two pieces into my mouth and chewed furiously, wincing as the hot flavour burnt my tongue.

What a perfect way to start the day.

I sighed in irritation as I saw that Edward wasn't here yet. I really needed to talk to him. He could help me sort out what to do about this rotten situation.

Maybe he would even offer to help.

I tried to picture Edward Hunting with me. Not his way, but _mine_. Guns and salt and holy water. I had a hard time picturing him holding a gun. Now that I knew what he was, what he was capable of, a boring, human weapon seemed superfluous when he could simply tear out a monster's throat with his teeth.

I quickly banished that thought. No way was I asking Edward to come Hunting with me. He had his family to think of. I couldn't let him throw all that away just to help me save the world one monster at a time.

Me, I had nobody, except for Edward, and some Hunter friends. The latter probably expected me to die at some point. They would mourn me, but then move on. We all did it. Life as a Hunter had its risks, and everyone who lived our way knew it. There was no sugar-coating it.

I thought about my coffee for a second and smirked. No, no matter how much sugar I put in it, I could always taste the bitterness underneath.

I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye, so I didn't jump when someone tapped on my window. I glanced up and smiled. "Hey, Jacob!" I greeted, getting out of my car.

As I stood up, I realized that Jacob looked…_really different._

"Hello, biceps," I said mockingly. "You know, anabolic steroids are really bad for you."

Even as I joked, I couldn't help but study him like the Hunter I was. I had only seen him five months ago, and yet it seemed as if he'd aged five _years. _His hair was still long, so that hadn't changed much, but the rest of him…

His face was more angular, lacking any remnants of the baby fat I remembered from the beach. He was taller, _much taller._ It was like he'd grown an inch per month. Whereas before he had barely stood 5'8", now he easily bypassed 6 feet.

And it wasn't just height-wise that he'd grown. His forearms were bare, showing off nicely toned muscles. His shirt stretched around his torso, straining as though it would rip if he breathed in too deeply.

Seriously, _was _he on steroids?

He chuckled, obviously pleased with my perceived ogling. "I'm just filling out, Bella," he replied. "You know it wouldn't seem so drastic if we hung out more."

_Is he hitting on me?_ I thought incredulously. Where was the awkward fifteen-year-old who I'd strung along with ease half a year ago? When had he grown up?

I looked down. "Yeah, sorry about that. I did promise you we would hang out sometime, but…" I trailed off, not wanting to get into it.

Jacob was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry about your mom," he said finally.

I looked back up sharply, narrowing my eyes. "How did you-"

"My dad," he answered, looking away from me as if ashamed. "I heard him talking on the phone with someone named Bobby. He told me that there was some sort of accident." He glanced back to me searchingly, clearly wondering if he should press for details.

I bit my lip and looked down again. "Hunting accident," I answered. "She and Phil, her new husband, went out looking for this…this wolf that had gotten too close to a town down south. That's what they did for a living…dealt with dangerous things like that. After I didn't hear from Renée for a few days, I went looking for her, but I was too late." I didn't like lying to Jacob, and it struck me that I could possibly tell him the truth only after I finished my story. Jake just seemed like the kind of guy who would understand. His father, Billy, was in on the whole secret world, so why not?

_And destroy what's left of his innocence? Ruin one of the only good friends you have by telling him that he lives in a world populated by monsters and demons and nightmares that he can't even _begin _to imagine? You're such a lousy person, Bella. You should just let him have an ignorant, happy life like everybody else._

"I'm sorry," he repeated. He shifted a little and I saw that he was holding something in his right hand.

"What's that?" I asked, desperate for a change of subject.

He looked down and blushed. "Well - ah - I know it's your birthday today-"

I waved my hand over his mouth, shushing him loudly. "Don't let anyone hear you," I whispered, looking around for eavesdroppers. Luckily, we were alone in the parking lot. Most of the other kids had already gone inside, and the remainder were hanging out at the picnic tables.

Jacob laughed again, grateful for the tension-breaker. "Don't worry, Bella, I'd love you even if you were grey-haired and wrinkly all over."

"Hey, hey, hey, watch your mouth, young man!" I teased. "No way am I getting old and wrinkly. My plan is to live hard, die young, and leave a sexy corpse behind."

He laughed uproariously, and I joined in. I hadn't felt this good since before Renée…

"So, is that a present for me?" I asked, quickly focussing my attention away from my thoughts.

He nodded, embarrassed, and lifted up his hand to show me what it was.

"A dream-catcher?" I asked in amazement. I hadn't seen one of those since I was a kid. I took it from him, examining how the dark wood was twined into a donut shape. White threads hung off the bottom, with multi-coloured beads strung onto them. A piece of metal stuck out of the top, the end twisted into a loop. I wondered if I had any nails in my bedroom I could hang it over.

"Yeah…I figured…you kinda looked tired the last time I saw you…and I doubt you can get a good night's sleep after what happened with your mom…so…" He shifted and rubbed his eyebrow in discomfort.

I felt a rush of affection for him. "Ah, Jake." Impulsively, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. He gawked at me, blushing furiously. "It's absolutely perfect. Thank you so much." I would have reached out to hug him, but it was then that I noticed the Cullens had arrived.

Jacob saw them too. "Hope you don't get into any trouble with your boyfriend," he sulked, sounding as though he hoped for the opposite.

I laughed and gave him another impulsive peck on his other cheek. "Don't you worry about Edward. His bark is worse than his bite." I winked at him, glad to see his bitter expression disappear. "I should get to class, but I will _definitely _start visiting you more often."

He grinned. "I'll hold you to that," he said, and then sauntered off to his car. It was a red Volkswagen Rabbit, probably a 1986 model.

"Nice ride, by the way," I commented.

"I know," he replied, and I had to laugh, remembering my first day at Forks High School, and how I had said those exact words about my Impala.

I felt much better, but this memory made the next four months feel that much worse, because I now knew what I was missing.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Just a bit of foreshadowing there at the end, no need to go crazy.

Hello?

Anyone there?

Oh, screw it! I'm sorry! I know I say that every single freaking time I update, but _this time _I feel it's completely warranted. I don't have any good excuses for why this took me over two months to finish, so just make sure you scream at me in your reviews that I need to get my butt in gear and stop being so lazy.

At least I made it longer than usual.

I'll update soon, (I promise).


	19. New Beginnings

Hunter

Hello, my dedicated readers! I have made a goal. I decided that I am going to try to reach 100,000 words by the Monday of March Break. That's fourteen days from now. This story is 80,350 words long right now, which means I have to write 19,650 words. I average 4500 words in each chapter, so that means I have to write about 4.4 chapters. I'll round it up to five. That's one chapter every two days or so. Think I can do it? We'll see, starting now…

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

_Renée Colt: Journal Excerpt, January 1__st__, 2010_

_New Years Day. A time of new beginnings. Just one more way the universe is reminding me that Bella is dead and the world is still spinning._

_This is the first time in months that I've written anything in this damned book. I don't even know why I'm doing it now. There's nobody around to read it._

_I wake up every morning and realize that I'm alone. Bella was always an early riser, even more than me. I remember all the hotels we stayed in. Me spread out on the bed, nursing a hangover or a Hunting wound. Bella, wide-awake at five a.m. on a Saturday, watching cartoons and eating cold cereal._

_God, I miss her. I would do anything to get her back. I've tried calling Crossroads demons, but none of the bastards will deal._

_I just want my baby girl._

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

I strolled over to the Cullens, down to three since Rosalie and Emmett had graduated. Jasper was here for another year, more interested in staying with Alice than moving on to college.

"Hey, Superman," I greeted, still grinning.

"You didn't tell me it was your birthday," he answered accusingly. "I didn't even buy you a present."

I glanced at Alice, but she shrugged. "I guess you weren't planning on telling us, because I didn't see anything."

"Huh," I grunted. "I guess I didn't think about it like that. Renée couldn't really afford to throw me a party or anything, so it was never a big deal to me."

Alice's eyes widened comically, and she reached out to snatch my arm in her iron grip. "You've _never _had a birthday party?" she demanded, astonished.

I tried to remember.

"Oh!" I grinned. "When I turned fifteen, I got my first fake I.D., so Renée brought me to a bar to celebrate. Does that count?"

Alice's horrified expression told me she didn't think so in the slightest.

She turned to look at Edward, and grinned. "That's a _great_ idea! We haven't had a birthday party since Emmett's in 1935!"

I automatically glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. The coast was clear, of course, but it sometimes made me nervous when they spoke about things that happened decades ago. It just seemed…risky to chance it.

"Alice, you can't just take the whole day off to go prepare a party," Edward chastised, reading her intentions.

"Oh, don't be a spoilsport. She'll only turn eighteen once." Her face lit up even brighter. "Hey, you're an adult now! No more worries about child services."

I tried to smile, but it probably came out looking forced. Renée's death had made me paranoid that a social worker would come to my house and try to drag me off to some foster home. My fears were ungrounded, though. As far as I knew, only a few people on the Quileute reservation even knew that she was gone.

"Yippy," I deadpanned.

"Sorry," she replied. "I didn't mean to bring up…" She drifted off, looking apologetic.

"It's fine, Twinkle-Toes." I glanced around the parking lot. It was rapidly emptying out. "If you want to go bake me a cake or something, go ahead. I doubt you'll learn anything new in class anyway."

She laughed.

The bell rang, and Edward and I strode off to class. Alice and Jasper got into Edward's Volvo and drove away. I shook my head, wondering what would be waiting for me at the Cullen house after school.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

I had English with Mr. Mason first period, then Gym with Coach Clapp, Physics with Varner, Biology II with Mr. Molina, then a break for lunch, Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology with Mr. Banner, and finally, best of all, Free Period. Edward and I shared all the same classes, which meant we could both duck out a 2:00 p.m.

It was _awesome._

For English, Mr. Mason had brought out the old classic, Romeo and Juliet, two star-crossed lovers destined to die in each other's arms because of a series of unfortunate coincidences.

Oh, somebody get me a Kleenex. I think I'm gonna ball.

As antediluvian as it was, I had to hand it to Shakespeare. He had a lot in common with my ancestors. His stories were still being read, just like my family's journals.

The language was kinda girly, though.

"Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night," Edward whispered to me.

I giggled as quietly as I could, but Mr. Mason still threw me a warning glance. I held my copy of the tragic play in front of my face.

"You kiss by th' book," I replied to Edward, as soon as the teacher looked away.

He chuckled, drawing another glare from Mason. "Do I have to separate you two?" he threatened.

I smiled at him. "Sorry, sir, it's just that some of these lines are…a little flowery. 'What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!' I mean, come on!"

Mason looked offended. "Romeo and Juliet is one of the greatest love stories ever written. If the dialogue is too _flowery _for you, Miss Colt, then perhaps you would prefer a different English class."

Half the class had stopped working and tuned in to our discussion. They shifted in their seats to get a better view of me.

"Seems like a pretty lousy love story to me. Two hormonal teenagers talk for five minutes, kiss a few times, the guy stalks her while she's hanging out on her balcony, and they get married the very next day." I held my hands up to my heart and sighed dramatically. "Of course, then Romeo goes and kills Juliet's cousin, gets exiled, Juliet fakes her death so she can be with him, but he doesn't know that, so he kills himself when he finds her _body_, then she wakes up to find Romeo next to her coffin, dead from poison, so she stabs herself with his dagger. I know that happy endings aren't exactly a staple in his work, but _come on, Shakespeare!_ Throw these guys a bone!"

Mason glared at me. "I'm glad you've at least studied the play, even though your interpretation leaves something to be desired."

"All I'm saying is if they had just kept their wits for five seconds instead of rushing into everything, they could've had their happy ending."

The bell rang again, and I strode out with my head held high. I just thrived in conflict.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

By 2:00 o'clock, I was getting excited. I didn't know what to expect from Alice. The girl had a tendency to go overboard when it came to…well, just about everything. I only hoped she remembered that I was an adult, and would therefore not be interested in piñatas, clowns, or pin the tail on the donkey.

Underneath my excitement, though, there was a growing tension.

I hadn't brought up my dream, or Abby's phone call. I still had no idea what to do. How would Edward react if I told him I needed to go away and fight monsters for a little while?

I sighed internally. He'd probably freak, then remind me that I promised Renée I would keep safe.

Still, how safe was I if the world was crashing down around me?

"I think you were wrong about Romeo and Juliet."

I glanced to the right in surprise. Edward sat in the passenger seat of the Impala, looking agitated and unsure about something.

"What do you mean?"

"They _did _get their happy ending. They got to be together in death, for eternity, just like they wanted. I envy Romeo that."

I wrinkled my nose up in distaste. "That's a little macabre, don't you think? I mean, they killed themselves."

He smiled bitterly. "That's what I envy most."

I shot him a quick, startled glance before I turned my attention back to the road. "You can't be serious," I said dismissively.

"It's something I had to think about once," he stated, ignoring me. "When you went off to fight James…" His jaw tightened in displeasure at the mention of the psychopathic vampire's name. "I had to make a contingency plan. I knew I couldn't ask my family to do it, so I decided-"

"What the hell are you talking about, Edward?" I demanded, my voice loud and sharper than I'd intended. "You wanted to _kill yourself?_"

"Well, I wasn't going to live without you," he said, as if it was childishly obvious.

I stared at him out of the corner of my eye, even as I tried to avoid a collision with any other cars.

"So, I decided to do something to provoke the Volturi. They're an ancient, powerful family of vampires who live in Volterra, Italy. The closest thing our world has to royalty," he explained.

"How ancient is _ancient?_" I asked, remembering that Carlisle was around 370.

He shifted. "As far as we can tell, Aro, the leader, is about three-thousand years old."

I gawked at him, nearly sending us careening into a ditch. "Get outta town!" I gasped.

He smiled. "It's true. The other two, Marcus and Caius, are a few centuries younger. They, including Aro and Caius' wives make up the family."

I bit my lip. "Five, huh?"

"That doesn't include their Guard. There are quite a few of them. Anyway, you don't irritate the Volturi, unless you want to die, or whatever it is we do."

I slammed the breaks and pulled off to the side of the road. Luckily, we were far away from Forks' main streets that traffic was light. Only one car passed us as we sat there.

I turned to face him straight on. "You must never, _never _do anything like that, Edward. Do you understand me? You're the only person I know will still be there in the morning. My Hunter friends are dropping like flies. I don't _have _anyone else but you, and if I die and you _ever _try to irritate these Volturi dudes, I will claw my way out of hell and kick your ass for even _thinking_ of doing something so _stupid!_"

I turned away and stared out the windshield as we continued on our way. "I can't believe I'm dating such a drama queen!" I mumbled to myself.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you."

"Yeah, yeah, just don't bring it up again, _ever._ This is my first real birthday party and I want everything to be perfect."

He chuckled. "Anything for you, Love."

"Do I have to smack you?"

He just chuckled.

We finally arrived at the Cullen mansion. I had only begun to open the door when Edward covered my eyes with his hands. "Sorry, Bella," he said with remorse. "Alice will kill me if I let you see the house before she's finished."

"You're darn right I will!" Alice said harshly. "If you had just told me a few days in advance, I could've had this house looking perfect already," she scolded me. "And _you!_" I judged by the shift in her tone that she was talking to Edward now. "You bring her upstairs and entertain her until I'm done. And stop talking about killing yourself!"

"Amen!" I replied with a smirk.

Edward sighed, and I could picture him rolling his eyes in response. But I knew he would agree, if only to keep Alice happy.

"Watch your step," he cautioned as he led me to the staircase.

I snorted. "Don't sweat it, Superman. Remember, I used to hang out in graveyards in the middle of the night. Climbing some stairs with my eyes closed is not a challenge."

He chuckled again. "Whatever you say, Love."

Just because he was annoying me with the cutesy pet name, I decided to add a little more gross-out factor to my bragging.

"I'm serious! When I was thirteen, my mom found us a Hunt in Stratton, Nebraska. Some guy was found dead in his house. No signs of forced entry. From what I gathered, there was blood everywhere. So was the guy."

I could almost see Edward's disgust. "Bella, _please!_"

"What?" I asked innocently. "Never mind. So, anyway, this new family is already moving in when Renée and I show up. The dumb asses won't leave, so we have to wait until one of them dies before they let us in. Even then, we've got no clue what's killing them, so I go exploring and find some secret tunnels in the walls."

"And obviously you went and explored them, completely aware that there was some sort of monster hiding in the house," he said sarcastically.

"Of course." I shrugged. We reached the top of the stairs and Edward finally took his hands off my face. I spun around with a grin. "Turns out, though, that they weren't really monsters. There were two of them, and the guy they killed was their daddy…slash _granddaddy._" I shuddered, momentarily grossed out.

Edward's eyes went wide. "You mean-?"

I nodded sadly. "Yeah, seems the guy - Bill, I think his name was - he loved his daughter in all the wrong ways, and once she gave birth, she killed herself, and he stuck the twins in the walls."

I shuddered again. "They were living on _rats_. I mean, they were like animals protecting their territory. Renée dealt with them. I couldn't bring myself to do it."

My lip curled up in disgust. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again: demons I get, people are crazy."

Edward's lips jerked up into an involuntary smile, which he quickly tried to suppress. I looked around in an effort to distract myself until Alice called.

"Hey!" I shouted unintentionally as I caught sight of a very familiar face in one of the paintings on the wall beside us. I stepped closer to get a better look. "Is that Carlisle?" I asked incredulously.

There, somewhat in the background atop a stone balcony that overlooked a busy street, I saw Carlisle Cullen dressed in a white, ruffled shirt, and a brown coat. The clothes looked old, like something worn during the American Revolution.

To his right were three men, obviously - to me, at least - vampires. They too wore the old clothing, although they seemed more comfortable in it than Carlisle. Two of the vampires had long black hair, while the one on the far left was platinum blond, almost white-haired.

"Yes, that's him," Edward answered, breaking me out of my reverie. "This was painted about two-hundred years ago."

I pointed to the trio of unfamiliar vampires. "Who are they?"

He answered reluctantly, "The Volturi."

"Seriously?" I asked, disbelief etched in my tone. Then my eyes narrowed. "You failed to mention that your dad was buddies with the frigging kings of the vampire world!"

He was unrepentant. "That was a long time ago. Carlisle hasn't even spoken to them in decades. He admired them in some ways. They are much more refined than the average vampire. However, they were greatly opposed to his…diet."

"Oh, so they're not exactly big fans of humans," I deadpanned.

"Honestly, Aro - the one in front, in the light gold jacket - he may have been concerned for Carlisle's safety. The possibility of surviving on animals is something that had never crossed his mind. He supposed it had its uses, if he ever found himself in short supply of…our normal food source, animals could be a temporary substitute. Still, he worried about the long-term affects it could have on a vampire."

"Are there any?" I asked, suddenly worried.

He shrugged. "Aside from our eye colour and being slightly weaker than we would be if we fed on humans, there don't seem to be any serious side effects," he reassured me.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I don't want you guys to get hurt. But, hell, if Carlisle's lasted almost 350 years, then you'll probably be okay."

He laughed. "Yes, you don't have to worry about that."

I looked at the painting again. "So…what did these guys do to earn so much respect. I mean, no offence, but most of the…_normal_ vampires I've met didn't exactly seem like the type to be bossed around without a good reason."

His mouth tightened into a frown. "I told you about their Guard."

"Right, there's a lot of them, but aren't there a lot of nomadic vampires too?"

He nodded. "More than you could probably imagine. We take great pains to hide ourselves from humans."

"How come?"

As soon as I asked the question, I wanted to take it back. Of _course _they hid themselves. Their prey was so much easier to catch when they were ignorant.

"It's one of the few rules of our world. The Volturi created them, and they are willing to enforce them too."

"Oh, yeah? What are they? The rules, I mean."

His eyes swept over the picture as he listed them. "No exposing ourselves to humans, unless we're planning on killing them. That includes changing territory a lot in order to avoid suspicion, and disposing bodies carefully." He checked to make sure I wasn't freaked out. I nodded at him to continue. He turned back to the painting.

"No hunting in their city. And no creating immortal children."

"Huh?" I said elegantly.

He shifted and looked down. "An immortal child is the term used for a vampire who was turned at a very young age. They had no control over their thirst, and no understanding of secrecy, so Aro ordered them all destroyed. Anyone who creates them is executed immediately, along with the child."

I gritted my teeth. "That's _repulsive!_ So he just burns a bunch of kids alive. Swell guy. He better hope he never runs into me," I said darkly.

"Don't get any ideas," Edward warned. "I mean it, Bella."

I waved my hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. I'll stay away from him if I can." I took another long look at his portrait. "You know, he looks like kinda like Michael Sheen."

Edward smirked. "Charming, Bella. I'm sure he'd be glad to know that he reminds you of the werewolf from _Underworld_."

I shrugged. "Hey, it was a good movie."

"Done!" Alice's excited voice carried up the stairway. "You can come down now!"

I tried to prepare myself, but I couldn't help feeling the slightest bit of dread.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

My instincts were right. I nearly groaned when I saw what Alice had done to the living room. Candles lay on every flat surface. A large bouquet of flowers sat on the coffee table, also surrounded by candles. In the corner, presents with glistening wrapping paper were stacked up until they reached Alice's nose…

…And then there was the cake.

"Alice, that cake could feed fifty. You guys don't even eat," I complained, spotting the ridiculously large vanilla cake. "Did you make Esme bake all day or something?"

"Oh, relax!" she, laughing. "It's your birthday, Bella. I couldn't do anything halfway."

I sighed. "I just don't like wasting food."

"I'll donate the rest to an orphanage or something if you'll cheer up a little!" Alice whined.

I laughed. "Okay, okay, I'm happy. What am I supposed to do first?" I asked her.

"Presents!" she squealed.

The rest of the Cullens stood off to the side as Alice handed me my first present.

I saw Emmett lean over and whisper, "Dating an older woman. Hot," into Edward's ear.

I looked up at him and rolled my eyes. "Could be a little hotter actually, but my boyfriend's a little frigid. I swear, it's like I'm making out with an ice cube half the time!"

Alice pursed her lips in annoyance. "Bella, knock it off. Open your present!"

"Alright, don't have a hissy fit." I tore open the dark purple wrapping paper and pulled out a book.

"Psychic Development for Beginners," I read, a little stunned.

She grinned. "It was the best one I could find on such short notice. Some of it is useless, but other parts may actually be helpful. The meditation, in particular, could do you some good."

I forced a smile. "Thanks, Twinkle-Toes. I'll be sure to study it."

The truth was, I didn't think I wanted anything to do with my psychic powers, or the demon that was somehow connected to them. I shuddered mentally as I remembered my dream. _She's mine…_

"Open this one next," Alice demanded, shoving a tiny blue box into my hands.

I set the book down and pulled out the cardboard flap on the side of the box. Reaching in, I pulled out two small slips of paper.

"Oh my God! You got me ACDC concert tickets?" I shrieked.

"That was us, actually," Carlisle corrected, wrapping his arm around Esme and smiling at me with his brilliant white teeth.

"Oh my God! I am _so glad _I didn't kill you guys! You are the best!" I felt myself actually bouncing in place as I gushed. "This is so freaking sweet! I can't stop yelling!"

Esme laughed. "We're so pleased you like them."

"Okay, okay," Alice grumbled, shoving another present into my hands. "This one's from me too."

I studied her, realizing that she probably didn't appreciate me playing favourites with my gifts. I opened the red box and pulled out a silver bracelet. Little charms were strung onto it. There were crosses and pentacles, but also what appeared to be a unicursal hexagram.

"Oh, wow, this is so pretty, Alice," I said softly. I'd worn something like this when I was younger. My mom made one for me when I started Hunting. I suddenly realized that I had no idea where it was. I'd worn it that night in November. Had the hellhounds destroyed it?

I smiled at her. "It's perfect. I'll never take it off." I tried to wrap it around my wrist, but the chain kept slipping, and the hook and clasp were too small for me to keep hold of.

"Here, let me help," she said eagerly, grinning from ear to ear. She took the bracelet and I held out my arm so she could put it on.

That was when everything went wrong.

One of the little charm crosses scratched against my wrist as she adjusted the bracelet. The cross was flat, and the corners of it were surprisingly sharp. I didn't know if this was a design flaw, or if it was just my bad luck springing forth again.

Reasons didn't really matter, not when my new birthday present had just torn a hole in my skin, exposing just a drop of my blood to a room full of hungry vampires.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Okay, done! I have to get ready for school now. Did I mention that I'm learning how to play the flute in music class? It's harder than I thought, but I love it.

The next chapter should be up in a few days. Friday at the latest.

See you later.


	20. Damned Lonely

Hunter

Dang it! I said I would have this up by Friday. Oh, well, I still plan on finishing those last 15,302 words by next Monday.

Here's Chapter 20

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

_Renée Colt: Journal Excerpt, January 5__th__, 2010_

_I've started training a new Hunter. His name is Phil. I'm still not completely sure how it happened._

_I went to an anonymous group meeting for people who lost someone they love. I'm still not sure how I ended up there. I saw a poster for it outside a YMCA, so I went inside._

_I felt like I was in a dream. There were eight of us, plus the group mediator, a woman with curly brown hair and bright red glasses. She told us the normal bull. Everything we said would be confidential. This was a safe place. No put-downs. I just sort of sat and stared, not really feeling like I was there._

_Then we started with our stories. Most of them were awful in their commonness. Cancer, drugs, car accidents. I tuned out the details and just watched, debating whether or not to tell them that my daughter sold her soul to a demon to save my life, and how I sometimes wake up and hear her screaming, begging me to save her._

_Then it got to Phil. He looked different than the others. Less put together. His hair hadn't been brushed in what seemed like forever. His clothes were rumpled and stained. The others, apart from me, had made some effort to look presentable._

_Not Phil, though._

"_You know my story," he said. His voice was flat, unemotional. It grabbed my interest. For the first time since Bella died, I felt like a Hunter._

"_Now Phil, we've talked about this," the mediator scolded. "Your girlfriend's suicide had nothing to do with her roommate. Sandy was very ill."_

"_She was never _ill_ before," he retorted. "Everything started going bad the second she moved in. Don't you think I would have noticed if Sandy was schizophrenic? I knew her for _five years_ and she never displayed any psychotic behaviour until that…_woman_ showed up! I'm studying to be a psychiatrist for God's sake! Don't you think I would have known?"_

"_Mental illness isn't always obvious, Phil," the mediator explained, trying to placate him. "Many schizophrenics, especially in the early years of their illness, can hide their symptoms for months, or even years before it gets away from them. And remission is not entirely uncommon in young adults. She could have had episodes earlier in life."_

"_NO! There was no history! There were no earlier episodes! On Monday she was completely mentally stable, and by Friday…" He trailed off, clenching his fists. "Why am I even talking to you? You never listen."_

"_What did the autopsy say?" It took me a minute to realize that I was the one who spoke._

"_She slit her wrists," Phil answered. "Cause of death was severe haemorrhaging."_

"_Anything unusual?"_

_He looked up at me with haunted eyes. "Like what?"_

_I leaned forward in my chair. "You know, strange marks on her body, like a small hole on the back of her neck, abnormal dopamine levels."_

"_Excuse me, miss?" the mediator said, sounding annoyed. "This is grief counselling, not a detective agency."_

"_I don't know anything about strange marks," Phil replied, ignoring her, "but her dopamine levels _were _abnormal."_

"_Abnormal dopamine levels are perfectly _normal_ in schizophrenic individuals on anti-psychotics," the mediator argued, baring her teeth at us._

"_Anti-psychotics _suppress_ dopamine," Phil argued back. "Hers was elevated. _Extremely _elevated, now that I think about it."_

"_That's it!" the mediator stood up and pointed a shaking finger at the door. "Both of you - out! I will _not_ have this turn into a - a…" She couldn't seem to think of anything nasty enough to say. "I suggest the both of you check yourselves into the nearest hospital for some professional help."_

_I laughed in her face, suddenly feeling as if I was channelling Bella as I quipped, "And what do you call this? Unprofessional help?"_

_The mediator turned bright red as some of the other group members laughed in surprise. She threatened to call the police, so Phil and I made tracks. I'd left my car back at the hotel, but Phil offered to give me a ride. I accepted. If things went downhill, I could always shoot him._

"_So," I began, "does this roommate have a name?"_

"_Karla Gilchrist. She's a nurse at the psychiatric hospital where Sandy ki-…passed away."_

"_Have there been a lot of suicides there recently?" I asked._

_He shrugged. "Well, it's a psychiatric hospital. The mentally ill are at a much higher risk of suicide than the unaffected populace."_

"_That's not an answer."_

"_There have been…six…since December."_

"_Since Karla came to town?" I clarified._

"_Yes." He looked puzzled._

"_And how many were there beforehand? On average."_

"_Maybe…two or three…a year. It's a good hospital. The doctors there have helped a lot of people."_

"_But not Karla, you don't think."_

_He looked at me, confusion and panic in his eyes. "I don't know what's going on," he answered. He looked so lost._

"_I think Karla did something to her patients - Sandy too - and I think we should do something about it."_

_Phil pulled into the hotel parking lot. "What are you suggesting? That she drugged them? Or that she…"_

"_I think she did both."_

_He shook his head. "This is crazy."_

"_No, what's crazy is that a perfectly healthy young woman had a complete psychotic breakdown in less than a week, and a hospital's suicide rate has skyrocketed! For Christ's sake, Phil! It's a myth that more people kill themselves near the holidays. All the celebrations give them hope."_

_I didn't know why I was getting so into this. I'd spent Christmas morning holed up in a hotel room with a bottle of whisky. I didn't think I had any hope left._

"_So, you think Karla gave Sandy something that mimicked the symptoms of schizophrenia, and then killed her? Why?"_

_I shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe she didn't. Maybe I'm wrong and Miss Unprofessional was right. Still, it's worth looking into."_

_I managed to convince Phil to bring me to the hospital the next day. Students came and went all the time, so nobody gave us a second glance after Phil showed the secretary his student card._

_Phil led me to the autopsy room. There was a new body from yesterday. That made seven suicides in less than forty days._

_The coroner had already checked it out. The girl, Wendy, was only eighteen. Her dopamine levels were also elevated, as well as her serotonin and nor-epinephrine. I felt around her hairline until I found a small puncture wound just below her ear. I grabbed a five-inch long cotton swab and prodded the wound. The hole went all the way through to her brain._

_With Phil guarding the door, I sent a silent apology to the beautiful dead girl and carved the top of her skull off with the coroner's electric saw. Once I was done, I reached inside and pulled out Wendy's brain._

_It was dry and shrivelled, not at all like a brain would look after one night of decomposition. Phil walked in then, saw the brain, and barely kept himself from throwing up. "Someone's coming!" he gasped, still retching._

_I put Wendy's skull back on and prayed it would hold. We left the hospital in a hurry. Phil was upset._

"_What the hell is going on? And don't give me any bull! There's no drug on the market that can make a brain turn into…_that!_"_

_I don't know why I told him. I've always been so good at spinning stories. But he just looked so lost, so afraid, and so desperate for answers. I couldn't deny him this._

"_It's a wraith," I told him. "They're kind of like doppelgangers. They mimic human forms, though their reflections reveal what they truly are. They feed off of the chemicals found in brains. Dopamine, serotonin. If they get close enough, they can inject you with a poison that makes you produce more of these chemicals. As the poison spreads, you start seeing things, becoming paranoid, getting dizzy spells…easy pickings. All it has to do then is suck the brain dry."_

_Phil watched me very carefully, not speaking._

"_The only way to kill a wraith is with silver. Bullets are good. Knives work better."_

"_You're crazy."_

"_I'm a Hunter. I've been fighting things like this for a long time, Phil. Trust me. I'm not crazy, but if you stick around Karla too long, you might be. And then you'll be dead."_

_I don't know how or why I convinced him to help me take her out, but we did._

_I didn't expect him to ask to stay with me. I don't know why I let him come._

_Maybe I'm just lonely._

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Edward's POV

I think I knew - even before I smelled her blood, and sensed Jasper's thoughts go wild with hunger - that my happiness couldn't last much longer.

I stopped breathing, but Jasper was too new in this life to do the same. I heard him struggle internally for just a second, and then he lost himself in the scent.

I shoved Bella back - too hard, but there was no time to be gentle - and stood in front of her protectively. Jasper was a skilled fighter, but I knew his every move before he even made it. I pushed him back, sending him crashing into my piano. I felt momentarily anguished at losing something so important to me, but it was worth it.

Jasper launched himself back to his feet and charged. Carlisle reached out to grab him, but he ducked under his outstretched arms. Emmett was larger, more difficult to avoid. He gripped our out-of-control brother by the wrists and pulled him back. Carlisle grabbed his other arm to help. Alice rushed up to her lover and grasped his face in her dainty hands. "Jazz, Jazz, it's okay; it's just a little…blood."

We all turned slowly to look at Bella. Her eyes were shut tightly. She held her right arm to her chest, and I saw tiny pieces of glass embedded in it. Blood dripped from the wounds, soaking her jeans. She was trembling, but not with fear.

Her knife - the one that she always carried on her, the one that could cut through vampire flesh as though it was hot butter - was levitating in front of her face as she sat sprawled on the carpet. It jerked midair, as if pulled by invisible strings.

"Edward," she moaned, and she sounded scared. "Get out of here. I can't hold it back." She tensed, and the knife shot forward a few inches, almost too fast for even _my eyes _to follow. "I don't want to hurt you guys." There were obvious signs of pain on her face, and as I watched in horror, blood started dripping from her nose.

That was Carlisle's cue. He rushed toward her and plucked the knife out of the air, seeming to struggle for a second. Bella let out a gasp and folded into herself. Her head rested on her knee, and I was fleetingly worried by her flexibility. Had she broken something? A rib? Her spine?

Carlisle looked up at me. "Edward, get Jasper out of here. I'll look after her."

I fought the instinct to stay, knowing that every second I spent near her made me more likely to attack.

For what seemed like the millionth time, I envied Carlisle and his perfect control. There he was, inches from veins throbbing with blood, and all his thoughts were centered on how to help.

I helped Emmett push Jasper out the door. Esme and my sisters followed behind. If Alice wasn't a vampire, she would have cried. Once away from the smell, Jasper regained his senses. I couldn't feel any hate for my brother, despite his actions. Hadn't I once wanted to do the same? Even now a small, feral part of me wanted to go back inside and-

Jasper wasn't the only one who needed to hunt. We avoided looking at each other as we went into the woods in search of prey.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

"How bad is it?" I asked Carlisle once everyone else cleared the room. My eyes were still shut. I didn't want to risk opening them, not when I could feel my horrible power straining to get out.

God, I could've _killed_ one of them.

"Not too bad, I don't think," he reassured me. "I just need to get the glass out, but you'll need stitches."

I took a deep breath. "I can do it at home."

"I'd prefer to do it, actually."

I finally got up the courage to open my eyes. When the room didn't immediately burst into flames, I relaxed. "I really can do it. I've been doing stitches for years."

"And I've been doing them for centuries," he retorted, not unkindly. "Please, Bella." He took my hand and helped me to my feet.

Once we were in his office, he began picking out the glass slivers with tweezers. "What did I hit?" I asked, indicating to the glass.

"Just a vase of flowers." Carlisle finished plucking the glass out and began dabbing the cuts with medicated gauze. I was barely aware of the faint sting.

"How do you do it?" I asked, amazed at how easy it was for him to be near my blood.

"Years and years of practice," he said with a smile.

"Did you ever think of just…doing it the easy way?"

"No, I knew who I wanted to be. I wanted to help people." It was hard to judge the truth of his words. Vampires moved so quickly, even their facial expressions were hard to keep up with. But, I felt that he was sincere. "It brings me happiness, even if I am damned, regardless."

_Whoa! Back up!_

"Damned?" I asked, feeling my heart start to pound. "Like…hell?" He didn't answer, just continued stitching up my arm. "Carlisle, you couldn't be damned. You're too…" I couldn't think of the right way to put it. "You try very hard to make up for something that was never your fault," I finally said. "What I mean is, it's not like you asked for this. You didn't choose this kind of life, and yet you have to work so _hard _to be good."

"Thank you, Bella," he replied. "But I don't know if I'm making up for anything," he disagreed lightly. "Like everything in life, I just had to decide what to do with what I was given."

"You sound like my mom," I told him. "Honestly, you sound like _me._" My nose wrinkled. "Oh, man, it's true. You really _do _turn into your parents."

"I don't think so," he contradicted, catching my interest. "I think we take what lessons we can from our parents and try to adjust them to what we feel is right for us. I'm glad I didn't turn into my father, but I'm also very glad for the things he taught me."

I kept silent, waiting for him to explain.

"I didn't agree with my father's particular brand of faith. But never, in the nearly four hundred years now since was born, have I ever seen anything to make me doubt whether God exists in some form or the other. Not even the reflection in the mirror."

I looked down, remembering my outburst about God from that first time I'd eaten lunch in this house. I felt a little ashamed.

"I'm sure all this sounds a little bizarre, coming from a vampire." He grinned. "But I'm hoping that there is still a point to this life, even for us. It's a long shot, I'll admit," he continued in an offhand voice. "By all accounts, we're damned regardless. But I hope, maybe foolishly, that we'll get some measure of credit for trying."

"I don't think that's foolish," I said fiercely. "People's intentions are important. Someone who kills in self-defence is a helluva lot better than someone who kills just because they like hurting people. Hell, I've committed dozens of acts of identity fraud. I have unregistered weapons. I've broken into people's houses. I've dug up graves and torched corpses. Any judge who heard that would send me straight to jail, but if they knew _why_ I was doing it - to save lives - then maybe they would understand."

He smiled at me. "You're the very first one to agree with me on this."

"The rest of them don't feel the same?" I asked, surprised, thinking of only one person in particular.

Carlisle guessed the direction of my thoughts again. "Edward's with me up to a point. God and heaven exist…and so does hell…as you obviously know." His eyes flicked uncomfortably to my face, judging my reaction. I didn't let anything bad show, and he continued. "But he doesn't believe there is an afterlife for our kind." His voice was very soft. "You see, he thinks we've lost our souls."

I sniffed. "Well, I hate to burst his bubble, but you need a soul to go to hell too. Doesn't he know that I traded mine for Renée?"

He looked disturbed for just an instant, but then his face relaxed. "Perhaps we don't know as much as we think we do. You have much more experience with things like this. Still, it's hard to change Edward's mind. He's stubborn, like his mother."

I blinked. "His mother?" I asked, suddenly fascinated.

"Yes. Her name was Elizabeth. Elizabeth Masen. His father, Edward Senior, never regained consciousness in the hospital. He died in the first wave of the influenza. But Elizabeth was alert until almost the very end. Edward looks a great deal like her. She had that same strange bronze shade to her hair, and her eyes were exactly the same color green."

"His eyes were green?" I murmured, trying to picture it. I couldn't, nor could I picture him with peach skin, and soft, human features.

"Yes…" Carlisle's ochre eyes were a hundred years away now. "Elizabeth worried obsessively over her son. She hurt her own chances of survival trying to nurse him from her sickbed. I expected that he would go first, he was so much worse off than she was. When the end came for her, it was very quick. It was just after sunset, and I'd arrived to relieve the doctors who'd been working all day." His voice grew with frustration. "That was a hard time to pretend - there was so much work to be done, and I had no need of rest. How I hated to go back to my house, to hide in the dark and pretend to sleep while so many were dying."

I flinched with empathy, suddenly remembering the phone call from this morning. I'd forgotten about it - nearly getting eaten by a vampire could do that to you - but now I couldn't get it out of my head. People were dying, and I was just sitting here. At least Carlisle had a reason for hiding. I was just being selfish.

"I went to check Elizabeth and her son first," Carlisle continued, oblivious to my self-loathing. "I'd grown attached - always a dangerous thing to do considering the fragile nature of humans. I could see at once that she'd taken a bad turn. The fever was raging out of control, and her body was too weak to fight anymore."

I tried to picture what it was like for him, knowing that one day, every human he knew would be dead, and he would still be here. Then I realized I knew exactly what the first part felt like, everyone did in their own way. The second part - living forever - it frightened me, but at the same time thrilled me.

"She didn't look weak, though, when she glared up at me from her cot.

"Save him!' she commanded me hoarsely.

"I'll do everything in my power,' I promised her, taking her hand. The fever was so high, she probably couldn't even tell how unnaturally cold mine felt. Everything felt cold to her skin.

"You must,' she insisted, clutching at my hand with enough strength that I wondered if she wouldn't pull through the crisis after all. Her eyes were hard, like stones, like emeralds. She muttered something about a man who'd promised to help Edward, and called him a liar. Perhaps another doctor, or a hallucination. It was so hard to tell. She was just so _sick._"

"She told me, 'You must do everything in _your _power. What others cannot do, that is what you must do for my Edward."

"It frightened me. She looked at me with those piercing eyes, and, for one instant, I felt certain that she knew my secret. Then the fever overwhelmed her, and she never regained consciousness. She died within an hour of making her demand."

I felt a rush of sympathy for Edward's mother. She gave everything she had to protect Edward, even her life. Just like I would.

"I'd spent decades considering the idea of creating a companion for myself. Just one other creature who could really know me, rather than what I pretended to be. But I could never justify it to myself - doing what had been done to me."

"So, you decided to save Edward," I finished.

He nodded. "After all those years of indecision, I simply acted on a whim. I wheeled his mother to the morgue first, and then I came back for him. No one noticed that he was still breathing. There weren't enough hands, enough eyes, to keep track of half of what the patients needed. The morgue was empty - of the living, at least. I stole him out the back door, and carried him across the rooftops back to my home. I wasn't sure what had to be done. I settled for recreating the wounds I'd received myself, so many centuries earlier in London. I felt bad about that later. It was more painful and lingering than necessary."

"I wasn't sorry, though. I've never been sorry that I saved Edward." He shook his head, coming back to the present. He smiled at me. "I suppose I should take you home now."

I shook my head. "I need to talk to Edward. Calm him down." I smiled distantly, staring at the bowl of bloody gauze. "He's too protective of me."

"Only because you're the most important thing in the world to him."

I rolled my eyes. "Stop it, Doc, you're making me blush."

"Bella?"

I turned and saw Edward by the office door. His face was tight, eyes bright gold. He'd gone hunting.

"Are you okay?" he asked, looking pointedly at my bandaged arm.

I pulled my sleeve over it and shrugged my leather jacket on. "Top of the food chain, Superman. Now, I believe you owe me some fries…since, you know, my cake is totally ruined," I taunted light-heartedly.

"I don't think anything's open right now," Edward said, gesturing to the window. It was getting dark out, and, unfortunately, small towns rarely had 24-hour diners.

"Damn! I guess I'll have to take a rain check. Will tomorrow work for you?" I asked.

He nodded stiffly and walked away. I stared, a little surprised, and then gave Carlisle a sideways glance.

He shrugged back at me, then motioned to the bowl full of bloody gauze. I nodded in response, and started following Edward outside as Carlisle set the gauze on fire.

_Happy birthday to me._

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Not too bad of a chapter. I took a lot of it from the book, but I added in a little extra something. See if you can find it. Virtual cookies if you can guess what it means.

Bye, everyone, I'm going to go relax.


	21. Alone In The Dark

Hunter

Hey, guys. I know I failed my challenge, but I'm back with some new ideas…and a new computer, unfortunately. My old one died on me, so I've spent the past little while transferring files and uploading games onto my new one. It's a beauty, but a bit temperamental.

I just want to answer a few reviews, just to clarify some things.

7HockeyStarVampireObsessed7 - You're _so close! _I'll give you a virtual cookie anyway, just because I love you.

ixdookiie - Edward was a teenager when he was sick.

Dark-n-Twisty - Aw! You guessed!

ScRaBbLe1 - Oh, I hope your rib is feeling better. And, yes, you're right. It does hurt Bella when she holds back her power, and sometimes she gets nosebleeds if she overexerts herself, like she did against James. Like any part of the human body, if you go beyond your brain's limits, you can damage it. At least in terms of using psychic powers.

Airamcullen - Good advice, I'll be sure to work on that a little more from now on.

..S - Whoa! Calm down, honey! Sorry to say, but I need Edward out of the way for a few months. (Cowers) Please don't hurt me! He'll be back, I swear!

WarriorDarkAngel - I like you.

By the way, do you guys like the journal excerpts at the beginning of the chapters? If you don't, please be patient. They serve a very important purpose.

Anyway, I'll continue on with _Hunter._

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_Renée Colt: Journal Excerpt, January 24__th__, 2010_

_This is the hardest entry I've ever written. I can't say how lucid it will be, but I have to let it out._

_Three days ago I went to visit Ellen Harvelle. I hadn't seen her in a while, and from her reaction, she was probably happy about that. When I stepped into the Roadhouse, Phil trailing behind me like a lost puppy, she damn-near went for her gun._

_The Roadhouse is a pretty good bar for Hunters to meet. I've always liked it. My parents used to bring me here when Ellen's folks ran it. Ellen and I were as close as Jo and Bella are. Were._

_The bar was closed when we got there. Jo was in the back, scrubbing out empties and doing dishes. She looked up when she heard us walk in, and gave me a pitying look. I looked away quickly._

_Seeing her brought back memories. Once, when Bella was fifteen and Jo was nineteen, the two of them decided to go Hunting together. They went searching for a wendigo, and the damn thing nearly killed Bella. From what they told me, it went after Jo, but Bella wouldn't let it hurt her. She jumped right in front of Jo and took a blow to the stomach that nearly ruptured her spleen. Jo managed to finish it off and dragged Bella back to the Roadhouse. Amazingly, Bella was on her feet the next day, but Ellen really let Jo have it._

_After that, Jo seemed a little more cautious, but Bella was the same. Still ready to sacrifice herself to save someone at the drop of a hat. Sometimes I wish she was more selfish. Maybe then she wouldn't be-_

_I'm going off topic._

_Back at the Roadhouse, I __scanned for any threats like a good Hunter. There was a motionless lump of a person lying on the pool table. It smelled strongly of whisky._

_We walked up to the bar counter. Ellen had probably been wiping off some crumbs from yesterday's dinner crowd. __I told her I was working a demon case nearby, and asked her to look after Phil._

_The kid gulped when she turned her dark brown eyes on him, but to his credit, he didn't back down. He stuck his hand out and introduced himself. "Doctor Phil Dwyer."_

_Ellen gave him a suspicious look, but shook his hand. "Doctor?" she asked._

_Phil blushed a little. "Well…almost. I quit school a couple weeks ago."_

_She smiled in response. "A college- boy?"_

"_Yes, ma'am," Phil responded._

_Ellen shook her head and glanced at me. "How long do you expect to be gone?"_

"_A few days at the most. It's pretty cut and dry."_

"_And you want me to keep an eye on him?"_

_I shrugged. "Let him bus tables if you want. He worked his way through college. He knows how to put in an honest day's work. Maybe get Jo to teach him a few tricks of the trade."_

_She tilted her head to the side and really looked at me. "How are you, Renée?"_

_I pressed my lips together. "As good as I can be."_

"_You're not thinking of doing anything stupid, are you?"_

And make Bella's sacrifice meaningless?_ "No more than usual."_

_She looked away, maybe seeing something on my face that scared her. What was it? Was she seeing a future without Jo? Seeing her eyes turn hollow and her face become lined with grief. I must've been quite a sight. I've lost weight, and I've never been too big to begin with. Hell, without makeup, I probably look like a skull._

_God, I need some sunlight. When was the last time I was out during the daytime?_

"_Alright, I'll keep an eye on him." She turned abruptly to Phil. "Get Ash to tell you where the broom closet is. You can scrub the floors before the morning crowd gets here. Try not to stick your nose into their conversations, but keep your ears peeled for any decent info. My advice, don't make eye contact. If any fights break out, you just let me and Jo handle it."_

"_Yes, ma'am," he replied, automatically turning away. Then he paused mid-step and looked back at her sheepishly. "Uh, sorry, who's Ash?"_

_Ellen startled him by yelling, "ASH!"_

_On the pool table to my right, I saw the motionless lump suddenly sit up. "Whaah?" it slurred, and I recognized Ash._

_Ash was a good kid. Got into fights a lot, and was lazy as hell, but Bella liked him, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. He was useful, at least. A wizard with any type of computer system, and a pretty good cook too._

_Once Phil was set, I took off. It took me about an hour to get to Lexington, where the demon activity had spiked. It didn't take too long to locate the smoke-bitch. It was possessing some pretty waitress. I had a hard time looking at her. She was probably only seventeen, with brown hair and eyes. She looked like Bella._

_You can't show weakness around demons. They latch onto that with shocking ease. Within five minutes of me catching her, with the help of a hidden Devil's Trap under a rug, the demon started talking._

"_So, _you're_ the famous Renée Colt everybody talks about." The demon grinned viciously when I glanced up from my Book of Exorcisms. "Oh, demon's talk, babe. I've heard some stories about you." She crossed her arms, still sneering._

_I ignored her, focussed on finding the right page. This demon was tougher than usual, so I had to pull out the big guns._

_Come to think of it, a lot of these pests are getting tougher._

"_Hell, _Bella _can't go one day without screaming for you to help her."_

_I froze, and nearly dropped the BoE._

_The demon laughed. "She's really something, your little girl. Alastair's having so much fun with her." She shifted so that her hand rested on her hip. Her black eyes bored into mine. "Never seen anything like her. You should be proud."_

"_Shut up," I whispered, unable to speak any louder. I felt like someone had jammed a knife into my stomach._

"_People talk about hell," she continued. "But it's just a word. Doesn't even come close to describing the real thing."_

"_You shut your mouth, bitch!" I managed to yell._

_The demon only smiled at me. "If you could see your baby girl, hear the sounds she makes when she can't even scream…"_

_I nearly attacked her, but held myself in check. That was what she wanted. Instead, I finished the exorcism and got out of there. Her screams had attracted some attention, so I had to leave._

_It took me a few hours before I managed to get back to the Roadhouse. I had to keep pulling over to throw up._

_What's happening to my little girl?_

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

Edward dropped me off at home. His face was pensive. I tried to make him laugh, remarking that only _I_ could get attacked by vampires twice in one year. Thrice if you counted Alexander.

Maybe mentioning the dead vampire wasn't a good idea. It only seemed to make Edward more distant.

His behaviour wasn't the only thing making me nervous. Abby's warning reverberated around inside my head.

_I wanted to tell you that you should be careful._

_They aren't done with you._

_Nobody has a bloody clue what's going on, but something is definitely coming._

I was extra paranoid that night. I double-checked every salt line and sketched out a few more protective sigils. I got my Jericho 941 F 9 mm semi-automatic pistol out of the Impala and stuck it under my bed. I wasn't stupid enough to put it under my pillow. I'd heard stories about people who blew their own heads off by doing that. Besides, that was where I kept my knife.

I finally managed to get to sleep around midnight, but only after walking around my house a few times to make sure nothing was watching me from the shadows. Sometimes Edward hung around outside my window, but I generally discouraged that behaviour. Usually with knives.

Before I got into bed, though, I remembered to hang up Jacob's gift near my bed. I stared at the dream catcher, feeling unreasonably anxious.

I just couldn't shake off the feeling that something was watching me.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Azazel's POV

The child was growing stronger.

She was so beautiful. Not just physically, of course, though most human males found her attractive. It was the dark power emanating from within her that I found truly exquisite.

Without a doubt, she was everything I'd hoped for. Soon, I would show her exactly what she was capable of.

It was almost time.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

I managed to sleep without nightmares.

Usually they would wake me up before sunrise, but on Tuesday, the day after my first real birthday party was ruined, I didn't wake up until more than an hour after school started.

Adrenaline rushed through me as I checked my watch. Why had Edward let me sleep in? Even if I didn't like him skulking around my house at night, surely Alice would have let him know I needed a wakeup call.

"Dammit, dammit. This just isn't my week," I muttered, scurrying to find something to wear. Checking the clock again – was it really almost 10:00 o'clock? – I dropped an F-bomb and threw my hands in the air.

"You know what?" I lamented to my empty room, "I think nearly getting eaten by a vampire earns me a day off from school." With that, I laid back down on my bed in a huff and closed my eyes.

It only took me ten seconds to figure out that I wasn't getting back to sleep any time soon, so I hauled myself out of bed and made my way to the kitchen. Since I wasn't on a time limit, I decided to make an egg on toast. I was sick of cold cereal anyway.

Once the eggs were in the frying pan and the bread was in the toaster, I strolled into the living room and turned on the television.

A blond boy, about my age, stared at me from the screen. Beside his picture were his stats. Height – 5'9", Weight – 160 pounds, Hair – Dark Blond, Eyes – Brown, No usual markings or tattoos. He was handsome, though.

I looked at his face, listening as the newscaster said his name; Riley Biers. Did I know him? He didn't _look_ familiar, but I felt I should have. As I listened, I learned that he had gone missing more than two months ago, and that his parents were desperate for answers.

I tucked his name into the corner of my mind. Perhaps I would look into him.

I got back to the kitchen just in time to rescue my breakfast. The eggs were a little crispy, but otherwise it was a good meal. After I dropped the dishes into the sink – making a mental note to force Edward to do the dishes to make up for letting me sleep in – I marched up to my room and pulled out Ash's laptop.

I'd gone through every article a dozen times, but I still couldn't find the connection. Whatever Ash had noticed about these people, I was clueless.

I sighed and leaned my head on my hand as I once again stared at the picture of the formerly infertile couple holding up their twins boys. The proud parents were Jim and Holly Beckett.

_Everybody looks so happy_, I thought wistfully. _Even the babies look happy._

Hold on. Back up a minute. _Babies._

My heart started thudding. I minimized the article I'd been looking at and opened another. "Former Paraplegic Runs Marathon!" it announced. I was only interested in one thing though. I stared at the photo next to the opening paragraph, and sure enough, there was Mr. Carey, cradling his newborn son in his arms.

_Tom Carey, holding Baby Scott_, the caption read. Scott Carey would be about eighteen by now, judging from the date of the article.

I minimized it, my hands shaking as I clicked on the next one; "Terminal Cancer Patient Cured!" I felt my mouth go dry as I saw the picture. There were no babies in this one, but I still felt my stomach leap into my throat.

_Joe Wilson embraces his pregnant wife, Emily._

I scanned the article and found the paragraph I'd read a dozen times before. _"I'm just so happy that I get to see my child grow up. That's the greatest thing about being alive right now."_

I didn't bother looking through the other articles. I knew what I'd see.

"Oh, god, it's the _kids_."

I leaned back in my chair and stared at the wall. My mind wouldn't stop racing. I was going over facts.

Fact #1 No demon would perform any type of service to a human unless it was getting something in return. Usually the human's soul.

Fact #2 None of the people in these articles had died at the right time for these to be standard crossroads deals.

Fact #3 All of the children in the photos were around the same age.

_That_ really got me going. I exited out of every article and went online, searching for any information about the children I already knew about. Then I went through the other articles and located the rest. There were only a few of them. Eight, in total, but something told me that there were a lot more.

I fished around until I found Holly Beckett's Facebook page. Or rather Holly _Gallagher's_ page. Apparently, the happy Beckett couple had divorced less than a year after the article was written, each taking one of the boys and pretty much cutting off all communication between them and each other.

I made this assumption by the fact that Holly failed to even mention she had two sons. The only things I found about the one she _did _write about, Andy, was that he had quit school the previous year and now lived in a van. There was a picture of said van below her rants of how impossible teenagers were nowadays.

It. Was. _Awesome._

I found myself gazing in awe at the vehicle. It was dark blue, with a totally retro painting on the side. It was of a barbarian queen, decked out in armour, holding a sword up in the air as if she were charging off into battle, and she was riding a polar bear.

"Andy Gallagher, you are my new hero," I murmured to myself.

Then I got back to work.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

A knock on the door startled me. I glanced at my watch. It was after 2:00, which meant school was over for my vampire boyfriend. I shut the laptop off and bolted downstairs, torn between yelling at him for letting me sleep in and telling him my new findings on the Demon Deal case.

It had something to do with the kids. I was sure of it. Every instinct I had told me I was right.

But when I opened the door, all my plans went out the window.

There he was, looking perfect as always, decked out in a black shirt and jacket with matching pants. It looked like he was all made up for a funeral.

"What's wrong?" I asked hesitantly, searching his face for any clue as to why he looked so miserable.

He didn't answer. "Come take a walk with me," he said instead, turning around and heading for the woods that lined the back of my house.

I stared at his retreating back, feeling anxious again. Grabbing my leather jacket, I rushed to catch up with him.

We walked in silence for what seemed like forever. I began to recognize the terrain. We were out near Waylon's place, in the clearing where Edward had first shown me what his skin looked like in the sunlight. It was getting dark out though, so it was safe for him to stand out in the open.

He turned around slowly, but didn't look at me. "We have to leave Forks," he confessed, sounding as though the words were painful.

I blinked at him. For some reason, this wasn't a surprise.

"Why?" I asked breathlessly.

He sighed heavily. "Carlisle's supposed to be ten years older than he looks. People are starting to notice."

I tried to see if he was lying, looking for any tell, but his face was smooth, not confident, but set…determined.

"When you say _we_," I couldn't finish my sentence. All thoughts of demons and psychic powers and Hunting leapt from my mind at the thought of being left alone.

"I mean my family and myself," he answered reluctantly.

I felt my panic start to rise. "Okay," I said. "I'll come with you."

"You can't, Bella. Where we're going…It's not the right place for you."

"Don't be ridiculous." I wanted to sound angry, but it just sounded like I was begging. "You're the very best part of my life. Come on, Edward, I love you! I don't _care_ about what happened with Jasper. Hell, you saw. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, but Bella, what if one day you're not quick enough? What if he had killed you? Do you really want to risk dying just for me?"

Boldly I stepped closer to him. "Then change me."

He looked as though he'd been struck. He mouth dropped open in horror. "No!" he said disgustedly.

"Why not?" I took another step closer to him. "You said so yourself. I might not be quick enough to stop him next time, but if you change me…make me immortal…" I felt myself start to tremble. Even my voice shook. "I don't care if it hurts. You'll have eternity to make it up to me."

With a start, I realized that I'd just repeated what Alexander, the vampire from Seattle, had said to me.

"Bella," he said, and he sounded more serious than I'd ever heard. "I am not going to turn you into a vampire."

"Why not!" I yelled, suddenly furious, and then a thought stuck me. "This is about my soul, isn't it? Carlisle told me about that, and I don't care, Edward. I don't care! You can have my soul. I don't want it without you. It's yours already!"

I stopped talking, bit my lip, and felt tears start to run down my face. I hated it, feeling weak like this. Why wasn't he saying anything?

"Bella, I don't want your soul. And I don't want you."

The tears froze on my face like icicles. My stomach clenched. My hands loosened and I realized I'd been digging my nails into my palms only when I felt the distant sting as blood rushed to the pinched skin. I wasn't bleeding, thank god, but the pain only made it harder to think.

"You…don't…want…me?" I asked haltingly, afraid of the answer. I searched his face again, trying to see the lie, but there was nothing – no sign of falsehood – and I felt my heart start to break.

He looked away into the trees as he spoke again. "Of course, I'll always love you…in a way. But what happened last night made me realize that I have to have priorities. I can't put you above my family. I care for them too much, and if I stay here with you, or if you come with us, I fear it will push them away." He looked back, "I've let this go on much too long, and I'm sorry. But I can't allow that to happen."

Some part of me wanted to scream, the part that still remembered hell, the part that only knew pain and suffering. My trembling ceased, I felt more in control of my emotions. The tears that rolled down my cheeks felt like acid, but I ignored the pain. I ignored everything except for his face, because I knew this might be the last time I would ever see him.

So I nodded stiffly, and stared at the ground. "I understand." And I _did_ understand. As Renée always said, _Family comes first_.

_I don't even have a family anymore._

Edward's melodic voice drifted into my ears. "I have to go now, but Bella, please promise me one thing."

I looked back up at him wordlessly, and waited for him to continue.

When he was certain I was listening, he spoke. "Don't do anything reckless. Just…try to be safe. Live the life I'll never have. Do it for Renée."

_That-that asshole!_ I thought with sudden, immense fury. _Did he really just invoke the name of my dead mother to make me do what he wants?_

I didn't say that out loud, nor did I let my anger show. I only nodded again.

He stepped closer to me, and I felt my heart accelerate.

_If he kisses me now, I'll stab him._ I thought, still furious. _I swear on all that is holy, I will stab the bastard!_

But he only leaned over me and pressed his lips to my forehead.

And then he was gone.

And I was alone.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Edward's POV

_I'm doing the right thing. I'm doing the right thing. She deserves better than me. I'm doing the right thing..._

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

I stayed in the woods until the sunlight disappeared. It was a clear night. The moon was out, and I soaked in its dark light.

The only sound in the darkness was my breathing, and even that was softer than a whisper.

Edward was gone.

A sob tried to make its way past my lips, but I held it back firmly.

I was a Hunter. A warrior against monsters and nightmares. And I was the best.

I was also in pain. And that was why someone managed to get the drop on me.

I had just enough time to suck in a breath before I found myself slammed up against a tree, a knife at my throat.

Jo's warning flooded back into my head as I stared into Kubrick's pale blue eyes. His blond hair looked almost white under the moonlight.

Dammit! Why hadn't I noticed him?

Kubrick wasn't alone. I noticed Creedy behind him, smirking at me. His dark hair and eyes made him almost invisible in the shadows under the trees.

"Well, what do you know?" Kubrick asked tauntingly. "We caught ourselves a hell spawn."

I glared at him, not in the mood for games. "Put the knife down, Kubrick, before you get hurt."

"I don't think so, little lady. Your mommy's not around to protect you anymore," he answered, smirking at me as he pressed the knife closer to my throat.

Something wasn't right. Kubrick was a psycho, yeah, but he was an _efficient_ psycho. He pretty much had me at his mercy, so why wasn't he finishing me off? I was in no position to fight back. Not when, with a flick of his wrist, he could slice open my throat and leave me bleeding on the forest floor. And he _knew _that I would try to fight back, that I was not some weak little girl he could push around. The more he talked, the longer I had to think up an escape plan.

Unless it wasn't Kubrick.

My anxiety spiked as I looked at him. There was something about the way he moved that reminded me of…

And then I got it.

"_Christo!_" I hissed, and both of them flinched in pain. Their eyes turned black as they lost hold of their disguises.

The demon inside Kubrick slammed me against the tree with more force. "Now that wasn't very nice," it taunted in a low, smooth voice.

"What the hell do you want?" I demanded, struggling to get away. The demon pressed the knife against my neck again and I stopped moving.

"Oh, it's not what _I_ want," it began. "It's my boss who wants to see you." It grinned sadistically.

"Who? Azazel?" I asked, pulling out my trump card. I watched with some satisfaction as the demons snarled in surprise.

"How do you know that name?" Demon Kubrick demanded, leaning into my face until I nearly gagged from the smell of sulphur wafting into my nose.

I didn't get a chance to answer, because the next thing I knew, someone else appeared in the clearing.

I caught a glimpse of blond hair resting on top of a small, slim figure before I found myself thrown to the ground. I rolled to me feet, ready to fight, and then I heard the sound of a knife cutting through air. I glanced toward to sound a saw a girl. She was a few years older than me. She wore jeans with a knife holster on the side of her right leg, and a green army jacket over a camouflage t-shirt.

With near perfect dexterity, she arched the glimmering knife at Demon Creedy and sliced cleanly across its throat. There was a sound like boiling water and a bright yellow light filled the broken skin. I stared in shock as the body fell to the ground, dead.

Demon Kubrick snarled at her. "You!" Its fist shot out and pounded the strange girl on the cheek. She spun into the blow and turned around in a complete circle until she faced it again. The demon held up its knife threateningly, daring her to attack, so I grabbed its arm and smacked its chin hard enough to send it flying. As it stumbled toward her she jammed the knife into its chest.

Demon Kubrick arched back and I saw the yellow light in its mouth as well as its wound.

Wisps of grey smoke curled up from their mouths, but the demons didn't emerge.

I looked up at the strange girl with a mixture of awe and suspicion. That knife of hers, it had _killed _demons. The only thing I'd ever heard could do that was the Colt.

"Who the hell are you?" I demanded.

The girl shrugged. "I'm the girl who just saved your ass."

I lifted my chin defiantly. "Well, I just saved yours."

She smirked. "Touché." She stepped over the corpses, getting closer to me.

I took a step back and she stopped. "I'm not going to hurt you, Bella."

"How do you know my name?"

"I know a lot about you, but this isn't a good place to talk. There could be more of them." She motioned to the fallen Hunters.

I looked around, searching for any sign of activity in the dark forest. My instincts were on high alert. Adrenaline pumped through my veins. I felt ready to fight.

Satisfied that we were alone, I looked back at her. "I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me who you are."

The girl sighed and dipped her head. I felt the air shift and took another step back as she looked back up.

Her eyes were black.

"My name's Ruby."

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

And that's a wrap. I made this chapter longer than most because I wanted to reward you guys for your patience. I have to go now. My computer's battery is going to die if I don't hurry up. Tell me if you find any errors. I rushed this a little.

I promise the next update will be quicker. Bye.


	22. Back In The Game

Hunter

I'm back! It's been a while, but I've had to work out what exactly I would do with this chapter. See I sort of visualize what's going to happen later on, but sometimes I skip over parts and that can lead to problems. I've had plenty of school-free time to think it over though, and I think I may have something.

I'm not going to spend a lot of time on the _Missing Months_ as I often think of them. I'll write a few journal entries instead to explain what's been going on.

And no, Ruby and Bella will _not_ be having the same _relationship _that Sam and Ruby did on Supernatural.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

_Renée Colt: Journal Excerpt, January 30__th__, 2010_

_Something's coming._

_When I got back from Lexington, Ellen offered to let me stay the night. I must've looked worse than I thought._

_I accepted. Phil likes her, and she likes him, even though I could tell she really made him work while I was gone. By the time I got back, he was helping Jo repair and clean some guns. Ellen would only let someone near those things if she trusted him._

_I sat at one of the tables and ordered a sandwich. What I really wanted was a straight shot of whisky, but I didn't want to push my luck. Ellen was already giving me the stink eye._

_After a while, business started picking up. The Roadhouse's clientele aren't like regular folks. They come in with scarred flesh, missing fingers, and all of them have this look on their face, like they're just trying to make it through this hour, this day, this life, and then they'll finally rest._

_They come in alone or in groups of two and three, rarely more. Hunting is a solitary profession._

_All of them look at me real quick, and then look away even quicker. They know who I am. They know what Bella did. They know, and they're scared of me._

_I'm not tall or imposing, or even particularly mean-looking, but these guys are smart enough to see beneath the surface. They know what happens to Hunters when we start to lose it, and they know what'll happen if I decide I want to take out every bit of my pain on them._

_They wouldn't stand a chance._

_One more person walked in, but this time when he spotted me he didn't look away. He marched over to me like he was worried I'd get up and run if he didn't hurry. I recognized him immediately, and nodded for him to sit down._

_Gordon Walker; the guy who shot his sister in cold blood after she was turned into a werewolf, sat down across from me._

_Walker's a good Hunter, like Hannibal Lecter was a good psychiatrist. I wondered what he was doing all the way out here. He tends to avoid the crowds. People are almost as scared of him as they are of me._

_The whites of his eyes seemed brighter than usual against his dark skin and nearly black irises. Despite his reputation, I always thought he was pretty handsome. Bella didn't like him though. She said he gave off the impression that he would kill you as soon as look at you. Looking at him then, I could see what she meant._

"_Fancy meeting you here," I said, breaking the silence._

"_I figured you'd be interested in some information about the demon that nearly killed you."_

_Another thing I like about Walker, he always gets straight to the point._

_I leaned closer to him, balancing on my arms. "What kind of info we talkin' about?"_

"_The bad kind," he murmured, his eyes never leaving mine. "I was working a case down in New Mexico a few weeks ago. It was just a regular demon exorcism. Everything was going fine, until I heard it mention something about a war."_

_My eyebrows lifted in surprise. "What do you mean?"_

"_I mean…that all this demon activity we're seeing lately is just the beginning. The demon told me that their leader, Azazel, is targeting Hunters and trying to open a Devil's Gate."_

_I looked around quickly, efficiently noting that no one was close enough to listen to us. "You mean a doorway to hell? Is that what you're saying?"_

"_Yeah, exactly."_

_I leaned back and exhaled loudly. "Just when I thought things might start settling down," I mumbled to myself. "So this Azazel guy, he's the one who tried to kill me?"_

"_I'm positive. All this extra demon activity started up right after you got out of the hospital. I think your attack was just the first strike."_

_With that, he stood up and slid a piece of paper over to me. "Call me if you get any more information. This is too big for any one Hunter to handle." He started to turn around, but then stopped. "And I'm sorry about Bella. She was a good Hunter."_

_With that, he was gone, and I was alone again._

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Azazel's POV

_No! No! No! No! No!_

_Damn her! Damn her to the deepest pit of hell! The girl was supposed to be brought to me!_

_Ah, but I can wait. There are so many others waiting for me. Bella can have a few months of freedom. Perhaps, given enough time, that fury she feels now will help her grow stronger._

_Go ahead. Run and hide, Bella. I'll always find you._

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

I backed away in shock, then I snarled at her. "Get the hell away from me!"

Ruby blinked, and her eyes turned back to normal. "Relax, kid, I'm not gonna hurt you."

"You're a demon!" I replied, still snarling.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Don't be such a racist."

I glanced around, seeing the dead Hunters on the ground again. "Why did you help me?"

She smirked, placing her hands on her hips. That knife of hers was still in her hand. "Not all demons are the same, Bella. Some of us just want to do our own thing and not be bothered by Hunters, or even other demons. Me, I decided you're worth keeping around."

"How generous of you," I spat back.

"Temper, temper," she mocked.

I glanced back down at Kubrick and Creedy. No doubt someone - or some_thing_ - would come looking for them soon. I looked back up at Ruby and glared. "And why exactly did you risk fighting two demons at once just to help me? What do you want from me?"

She laughed. "Mercy me, you really are insistent."

I crossed my arms. "I'm waiting."

Ruby closed her eyes and sighed, losing her smile. She gave me a tired look. "I know what it's like to be human, Bella."

I stiffened in response. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. You were in hell. You saw what was happening to the others. You knew it would happen to you someday."

"I don't know what you're talking about." My voice wavered. I felt a familiar chillness creeping into my bones.

"_Do you want to get down? Say the word. Take the knife. You won't last much longer if this goes on."_ Alastair's voice hissed in my mind. I felt weak suddenly, dizzy, like I would collapse if I didn't grab onto something to steady myself. I fought against the feeling with every ounce of stubbornness I possessed, and slowly the feeling dwindled.

"Don't play stupid with me. Alastair put in a lot of effort to make you one of us."

I flinched and looked away upon hearing that name. Why did she have to bring it up? I could still feel his rotting lips and slug-like tongue pressing against my face as he dug a blade into my ribs and _twisted-_

No. Now was not the time to think about him. That was the past. I was free. I was out. That monster was still trapped in hell where he belonged. I forced myself to focus on the matter at hand.

I crossed my arms in front of my chest as I replied smugly, "And yet here I am, still human."

"I wish I could say the same about me."

I looked carefully at her, only this time it was Ruby who looked away. She seemed almost…wistful.

"I was human once, same as you," she began, startling me. "I sold my soul for power, and got more than I bargained for." She sighed, and as I stared at her, I realized how…_human_ she seemed.

"But I'm nothing compared to you," she continued.

"What?" I interjected, startled.

Ruby smirked. "That's right. You can take the girl outta hell, but you can't take hell outta the girl. All that time you spent down there gave you a major boost." She tilted her head to the side. "Of course, if you'd spent a little more time practising and a little less time moping around, you'd already know that."

"Gimme a break!" I snarled. I threw my hands down to my sides and clenched my fists. "In case you haven't heard, my mother's dead! I think I'm entitled to a little moping."

She still had that stupid smirk on her face. "Maybe, but that's not the reason you haven't used those delightful little gifts you've been blessed with." She took a step towards me and pointed her finger at my chest.

"You're scared. You've taken on werewolves, poltergeists, demons…you even sold you soul and spent four months in hell." She paused, and I found I couldn't say a word.

"You faced all that with a grin and a sarcastic gibe, but what's up in here," she pointed to my forehead, "that scares you. Out of all the horrible things in this world, you're afraid of what's inside of you." She dropped her arm and put her hand on her hip. "But you don't have to be."

My eyes snapped up to hers. "What do you mean by that?"

She rolled her eyes and spun around, sauntering off.

"Hey!" I yelled, sprinting to catch up with her until I was walking next to her. I grabbed her shoulder recklessly, forgetting for a moment that she was a demon, not some stubborn teenaged girl. "What is your-" My sentence broke off as she wrapped her hand around my throat and slammed me against a tree. My hands went up, instinctively grabbing onto her arm. Internally, I berated myself for my own stupidity. I'd let my guard down.

_Stupid, stupid!_

No way in hell was I letting this blond bitch get the best of me. I kicked her, my heel jabbing her solar plexus. She released me, bowing down and hugging her stomach. I readied myself for a kick to her face, hoping it would incapacitate her long enough for me to get away.

Suddenly, I flew backwards, landing on my back. She'd used some sort of telekinetic push, I reasoned, even as I struggled to breathe. She'd knocked the wind out of me.

Ruby laughed breathily. "You're better than I thought. I guess Renée did train you well." She stood up straight and grinned at me, but I managed to get back on my feet.

I grinned at her nastily. "You're damn right, she did! You're going to have to do a lot better than that."

"Okay," she said evenly, and then she raised her hand and sent me flying again, only this time I didn't end up on the ground.

I was up against a tree, suspended about a foot in the air. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but I found that I couldn't move a muscle, and what was worse…

There was a tree branch directly behind my neck, a sharp one by the feel of it. My head was arched forward as far as it could go, but it wouldn't take too much effort to shove it back, and then I could kiss my life goodbye.

"Dammit!" I growled.

Ruby sauntered over until she was directly beneath me. She sighed wearily, sounding almost disappointed. "I guess you're not as powerful as I thought. Oh well, it's not like you're the only one." She lifted her hand until it was directly in front of my forehead.

My eyes widened. I felt a headache starting.

Ruby smirked. "Too bad, kid. I'll see you in hell."

I felt the pressure on my neck start to build, but it was nothing compared to the pressure in my head. I shut my eyes and let it flow, not trying to push it back like I usually did. My eyes snapped open again, just in time to see Ruby go soaring backwards into another tree. I slid down to the ground and rubbed my neck instinctively. It was scratched up, but not bleeding too badly.

I snapped my head up, ready to give this smoke-bitch the beating of her life, or whatever the equivalent of _life_ was for a demon. Instead I froze, dumbstruck, unable to bring up any anger as I saw just how much damage I'd done.

The tree, the one I'd sent that hell spawn flying into, now featured a rather prominent crack, exposing its light brown innards. An assortment of bugs crawled out, scurrying around in a panic. The tree now leaned at a precarious angle. I felt sure that during Fork's next good storm it would come crashing down.

"You see?" Ruby yelled, laughing giddily, startling me out of my daze. She stood up and dusted herself off, still laughing as we surveyed the damage I'd caused.

"Wow," she murmured, taking it all in. "You're really something, you know that? I've never seen anything like this."

My fury finally broke through my shock. "What was that all about?" I yelled, indicating widely around to the tree where I'd nearly been impaled. "First you say you wanna help me, and then you try to kill me! What is your game?"

"I _did_ help you," she replied, looking smug. "I just showed you what you're capable of when you really need to be. Those powers of yours are a gift, not a curse. You just need to learn how to control them, and then nothing could stop you."

"Stop me from what? What do you think I want to do?"

"Nothing could stop you from getting revenge on that yellow eyed son of a bitch, Azazel."

I froze again, didn't even breathe, and then I spoke very slowly and softly, "What do you know about Azazel?"

She grinned. "A lot more than you, apparently. Had any strange dreams lately, Bella?" I could almost _feel_ her arrogance. Were all demons this irritating? I wasn't sure. Most of my interactions with demons involved Hunting them down and exorcizing them. They were generally more pissed than smug when they did talk to me.

I clenched my teeth together, but nodded once. My hands balled into fists, and my whole body tensed up.

Ruby sauntered closer to me, her eyes flashing black again. "I thought so. From what I've heard, it's part of his M.O. That's method of operation."

"I know what it means!" I snapped. "What I want to know is why he's doing it."

Ruby seemed almost disappointed. "You mean you haven't figured it out yet. Come on, Bella, didn't you read _anything_ about this in your mother's journals?"

"I wouldn't know. I haven't read them."

She frowned, and for the first time she almost sounded angry. "What do you mean, you haven't read them? You've had them for months. You mean you haven't taken any time away from hanging around with those fangless bloodsuckers to try to figure out what your mother knew about the demon that got her killed?" She snorted derisively. "I can't believe you. Some great Hunter, you are."

I was too distracted to take offence. My mind was on more important things than my pride. Were all the clues really in my mother's journals? Had Renée found something and never told me? Why would she do that? We were a team!

At least, we _used _to be a team.

I hung my head, trying to push back the tears. Had my mom really lost so much faith in me that she didn't even tell me what she'd learned about the bastard who tried to kill her?

"Stop moping!" Ruby ordered. She grunted with annoyance. "Humans, you're just so emotional. It makes me sick. Why don't you stop feeling sorry for yourself and go _do something about it!_"

I snapped my head up and glared at her. "And what _exactly_ should I do? My mother is dead! My boyfriend just left me! I'm being hunted down by demons! Not to mention I still have to deal with my freaky mind powers! I don't see what my options are except to…to…" I trailed off.

"To leave?" Ruby finished, smirking. "Get back up on the horse? Stop hiding out in this stupid little town and actually do your job?" She shook her head. "Come on, Bella. You're a Hunter. You were _born _to be a Hunter. You can't tell me you don't miss it. I saw how you reacted when those demons ganged up on you. It was like you'd been waiting a long time for that moment, and when it happened, you felt like you could breathe again."

Ruby stepped closer to me, still smirking, but now she held her hands out in front of her, palms up, as a sign of peace. Her knife was safely tucked away in its holster.

"Do you understand why I'm trying to say? It's time for you to do what you do best. You have work to do. Your world is in danger, and you have to help it, before it's too late."

"Why do you care?" I asked, even as I realized that she was right. I was done being a coward. Screw Renée. Screw Forks. And screw Edward! I had to be stronger. Whatever was coming for me, when the time came, I had to be ready to fight. I couldn't help anyone if I stayed in this washed up town. There were people out there who needed my help.

"I told you," Ruby replied. "I remember what it's like to be human. I only wish someone like you had been there to save me. Even if the best I can do is to help you make life miserable for a few demons, it'll be worth it."

I nodded my head, solemn, but determined. I had a purpose now. Maybe that's what I'd been missing. Maybe that was why I always felt so guilty and weak. Renée hadn't just exiled me, she'd stripped me of everything that made me who I was, and all that remained of me was some miserable, pathetic, worthless girl. Edward was too protective. I couldn't be myself around him, not without starting a fight. I loved him, I always would, but he made me weak.

"We have a deal," I said, sticking my hand out for Ruby to shake. She clasped it tightly, and I felt the familiar coldness of death on my skin. I ignored it. "I've been out of it for a while. I can't make any promises that I'll be able to Hunt like a used to."

Ruby smirked and let go of my hand. "I'm not looking for promises. I'm just looking for that fire in your eyes. Now, what do you say we kill some evil sons of bitches and we raise a little hell?"

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Geez, in the middle of writing this chapter, I went and gave myself a second degree burn on my foot. It's almost healed now, but man did it _huuuuuurt!_ I've spent the past few weeks looking up how to treat it, and by now I think I know as much about burns as a doctor. Maybe I should go into medicine or something. I hurt myself often enough that I've had plenty of practice changing bandages.

A lot has changed since I started writing this chapter. I moved to London for college, which I _love_ by the way. It's so much better than high school. The only downside is that my bus ride is about an hour long on a bad day. Still, once I get through with my assignments, I have a lot of free time to write. I think I've finally gotten back into the swing of things. This chapter was hard to write, but the next one will be better. Bella is not going to break down completely like she did in New Moon, but she _is_ damaged. She's just going to take out her pain on evil monsters like the badass she is, instead of wasting away in her room.

All I know is, I can't _wait_ until I get to the Volterra scene.

Adieu, my faithful readers.


	23. Homecoming

Hunter

Hello, ladies and gents! I have three hours until class starts, so I figured this was a prime opportunity to write up another chapter. Like I said, I won't be showing Bella Hunting too much, except in flashbacks and journal entries. I hope those are satisfying enough for now. I don't want to stray too far away from the main plot with a bunch of hokey _Monster of the Week_ stuff.

Without further ado, here is chapter twenty-three.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

_Bella Colt: Journal Excerpt, September 18__th__, 2010_

_Getting back into the Hunting life is harder than I thought it would be. I've been keeping to myself the past few days, just brushing up on the basics. Yesterday, Ruby gave me a crash course in telekinesis. I don't think I did too bad, and Ruby was impressed, but I still somehow feel like I've just touched the surface of what I can accomplish. That psychic handbook Alice gave me might actually come in handy._

_Alice._

_Damn, I haven't thought about her, or any of them for that matter, since I left Forks. I still can't get over how they could all just leave me like that. But, hey, I'm tough. I don't need them. I've got my weapons and my mom's journals, and Ruby to keep me company. Who needs a bunch of fangless, sparkly vampire jerks to be happy? I sure don't._

_I'm a soldier. I don't need anybody._

_I'm better off alone._

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

Saturday, January 1st, 2011

DEATH TOLL ON THE RISE, POLICE FEAR GANG ACTIVITY

Why _there_ of all places? Why did it have to be _there?_

I sighed loudly and dropped the newspaper back down onto the table. We were at a small diner in Salt Lake City. A Mom and Pop place. It was quiet. Plus the fries were good, and that was all I cared about.

"You know those things are basically a deep fried heart attack, right?" said Ruby, being her usual, snarky self.

I didn't bother looking up as I stuffed another handful of the salty snack into my mouth. "Don't care," I said after I swallowed. "It's not like I'm going to live long enough to have one."

"You will if I have anything to say about it," she replied crossly, and I finally looked up.

Ruby had ditched the blond girl's body a few months ago at my insistence. She had gone the more environmentally friendly route by adopting the body of some Jane Doe who'd been in a vegetative state for three years after a bad car accident. According to my demon ally, the body had been vacant for a while.

She'd kept the name Ruby though. Said she liked it. I didn't mind. It made things less complicated. And her new body worked better when I needed a decoy, as long as whatever we were Hunting didn't see her face. We shared the same long, brown hair and dark eyes, but that was where the similarities ended. Her nose was bigger, her jawline less pronounced, and she was about an inch shorter than me.

"Glad to know you care," I said.

She snorted and crossed her arms on the table, laying her head down into them. "I care about you surviving long enough to make some of those bastards pay."

"Sure, I know." My eyes were drawn back to the headline. DEATH TOLL ON THE RISE.

Ruby heaved a sigh and sat up straighter, leaning her head on her hand. "What's wrong?" she asked, mockingly sympathetic.

"Why does it have to be in Washington?" I lamented.

She tilted back and looked around the room, as if the answer was written on the walls. "Because bad things happen everywhere, including Washington?" she answered, making it sound like a question. She shrugged and stuffed the rest of her sandwich into her mouth.

"Why do you always sucker me into buying you lunch? You don't even need to eat."

She smirked and leaned forward conspiratorially. "Think of it as payment for the lessons, and the blood. I've noticed that the latter is getting more difficult for Hunters to get their hands on."

"Yeah, you'd think with all the demons running around, we'd be _drowning_ in the stuff."

Ruby smiled and tilted her head back. "Well, what can I say? My kind is smarter than yours."

"That's debatable."

"I'm smart enough to know that you're stalling." She smirked triumphantly as I glared at her. "What's the problem, Bella? Usually when I find you a good Hunt, you're out in the car before you even finish reading the headline."

I looked away. "I'd just prefer something a little more concrete. It _could_ be gangs, after all. Not everything is supernatural."

"Have I ever been wrong, Bella? About anything?" She snatched the newspaper away from me. Her eyebrows went up in mock surprise. "Oh, _I get it,_" she said loudly, dragging each word out slowly. "You don't want to be that close to Forks." Smugness radiated off her as I snatched the newspaper back.

"Maybe I don't. What does it matter? I'm sure there're a lot of other places I could be right now."

Ruby shook her head with a smile. "Nope. Seattle's little problem was the only thing I could find on short notice. Everything else is either a false alarm, or it's being handled by another Hunter."

I looked down at the headline again. Someone, or, more than likely, _something_ was loose in Seattle. And here I was, debating about it over lunch with a demon.

I grumbled under my breath, stood up, and went to pay for the food. The lady behind the cash register smiled brightly at me. She looked about sixty. Her hair was gray and curly, her eyes bright blue, and she wore an apron with a grinning yellow cat on it. For a second, the woman's and the cat's smiles seemed to merge together.

I lurched and nearly tripped into the counter, feeling nauseous and headachy all of a sudden. I recognized the signs immediately and fought to keep my composure.

"How was the food?" the cashier asked as I gave her the money.

"Great!" I replied chirpily, forcing a smile. I was running out of time. "Keep the change," I stammered out, and then raced for the door. I heard her call out, "Happy New Year!" as I stumbled outside. Ruby already had the car door open for me.

"Come on, Psychic-Girl," she said, sounding long-suffering as she ushered me into the passenger seat. I dove in and rested back against the headrest. My eyes watered as my vision blurred. "Stop fighting it," she ordered. "Relax, Bella. Just let it come."

I forced myself to calm down, breathe slower. Ruby touched my arm, letting me know that she was still there as the vision started pulling me under…

_A flash of red and white, blurring through a forest at incalculable speeds…_

_An open field filled with dead flowers and a familiar, hungry vampire…_

_Jacob, twisting in his bed, growling with pain…_

I lurched out of the vision, breathing heavily.

"What did you see?" Ruby asked immediately.

I took a few more gasping breaths before I answered. "I'm not sure. It wasn't very clear, but we need to get to Forks. I think something bad is going to happen to Jacob."

"Who?"

"Never mind." I rubbed my temples and got out of the car. "Move over. I'm driving."

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

After spending almost seventeen hours cooped up in the car, we finally made it to Forks. The Sunday morning drizzle was in full swing as we pulled into the driveway of my old house.

Being back wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be.

It was much worse.

Ruby took off the minute we arrived, stating that she would go check out Seattle and bring me back some information in a few days. I didn't bother asking if she would stay and help me unpack. I wanted to be alone.

I went through the old routine. The salt lines I'd left were still intact thanks to the duct tape, but the Devil's Traps and other demon wards needed to be redrawn. I got to work immediately. There was no telling what might've been hiding around here, waiting for me to come back.

Great, now I was paranoid. I hoped this was the right thing to do.

I thought about my vision of Jacob, and decided that it was, no matter how much it sucked.

It was only after I'd finished that I realized there was no food in the house. I _could_ have made a quick stop at a grocery store, but I was starving already, and Port Angeles was a decent drive away. Besides, gas prices were up again. And, frankly, I didn't want to shop anywhere locally, just in case I ran into anyone. I didn't want the whole town to know that I was back just yet.

My excuses were reasonable, but they were still just that, excuses. I knew what I needed to do.

I had to go see Jacob.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

I managed to locate the Quileute Reserve without too much trouble, but finding Jacob's house was a little tougher. The last time I was there was when I was still just a toddler. Renée had made a point of avoiding Forks for Charlie's sake. I felt a dull ache in my chest at the thought of my dead parents, so I pushed those thoughts away.

As urgent as I was, I knew I had time. With all the training Ruby gave me, I'd learned how to predict _when_ my vision was likely to occur. It wasn't a fool-proof method, since I relied solely on instinct, but so far I hadn't been too far off in my estimates. The vision of Jacob in pain wouldn't come true for a while: a month, at least, maybe two. But I wanted to get close to him. Hopefully I could prevent it from happening at all. As much as I hated my visions, if it would help out a friend, I'd go through a hundred a day.

I navigated the unfamiliar pathways, craning my neck as I searched for something that would jog my memory. I huffed in annoyance and parked my car in front of what looked like a convenience store. I hated asking for directions.

Luckily, my saviour came in the form of two teenaged boys.

"Hey, Quil! Embry!" I called, trying to get their attention. I recognized them from the beach trip. It seemed so long ago, but I could suddenly recall nearly every moment of that day. And why wouldn't I? It was the day I had unlocked the secrets of the Cullens.

I quickly shoved that thought aside as well. I'd gotten very good at doing that in the past few months.

Embry was the first one to recognize me. "Bella?" he replied hesitantly. "Bella Colt?"

I got out of my car, shivering slightly as the cold Washington air seeped through my jacket. I needed to buy a winter coat if I intended on staying. I gave them a wide grin. For some reason, I was ridiculously glad to see them, and not just because they could help me find Jacob. They'd seemed like such fun-loving guys when we'd hung out together around the campfire, although my memory of Sam Uley's strange behaviour still bothered me to this day.

As I walked towards them, I had the weirdest sense of déjà vu.

They were big, much bigger than they had been last year. Their t-shirts displayed the corded muscles of their arms, and their sweatpants stopped an inch above their ankles, as if their legs had grown too long and they hadn't had time to go clothes shopping. Or was that the style now? I never did keep track of fashion trends. But what were they doing wearing t-shirts in _January?_ I was pretty sure that it was below freezing out here, and the wind was not helping. How could they _stand it?_ Was I just not used to the cruddy weather or was there something really strange going on here?

I suddenly remembered Jacob's massive growth spurt and found myself eyeing them with a little more caution. Was it _normal _for boys to shoot up so much so quickly? I had never taken the time to study the growth patterns of adolescent boys, but I didn't think it was.

I saw them exchange glances, catching their looks of surprise and suspicion. I tried to lighten the mood. "What? Am I not allowed to drop by and say hello to the Quileute Cuties?"

As expected, they both blushed and looked down, grinning slightly. Embry shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "Sorry, Bella, we're just surprised to see you. We didn't think your friends, uh, the Cullens, would let you come here."

My eyes turned fierce. "I don't know what you mean by that. I haven't seen the Cullens in months," I told them sternly.

They both looked up, stunned. "You mean," Quil began, licking his lips nervously, "you didn't leave with them?"

"No!" I answered sharply. I suddenly realized what they meant. The Cullens and I had disappeared at the same time. Everyone knew I was close to the family, so it was only natural for people to assume that I'd left with them. I needed to dispel this rumour as quickly as possible if I hoped to get close to Jacob. Billy and the other tribe leaders probably thought the Cullens had changed me into a vampire and fled for the hills to avoid a confrontation.

"But then," Embry asked, brushing his dark hair back with his fingers, "where have you been? Why'd you just take off all of a sudden?"

I shrugged, as if I were perfectly nonchalant about the whole thing, not burning up inside with anger and resentment. "Edward and I had some irreconcilable differences, so we decided it would be better to go our separate ways. They took off to who-knows-where, and I went on a road trip with a friend of mine. I didn't see the point in sticking around. Too many memories."

"Oh," Quil responded, and then grinned again, showing me that he still retained some of his boyish looks. "Jacob's gonna be happy about that."

I smiled back. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you guys about. Can you give me directions to Jacob's house? There's no food at my place and I wanted to mooch some dinner out of him."

They laughed. "We were just heading over there ourselves," Embry said. "We'll lead you there."

"Shotgun!" Quil yelled abruptly, sprinting for the passenger door of my car.

"No fair!" Embry yelled back. He made a valiant effort to catch up with the slightly younger boy, but Quil's head start gave him the advantage.

I just laughed and shook my head at their antics. Embry ended up leaning over my shoulder from the backseat as he pointed the way to Jacob's place.

The Black residence was a small wooden place with narrow windows. The dull red paint made it resemble a tiny barn. I tried to remember what it looked like in my childhood, but came up blank. It must not have made a big enough impact on me. Then again, I was only three or so when I was last here.

The first person I saw was Billy. He was sitting in his wheelchair in front of a rusty red barbeque, flipping burgers and hotdogs with a spatula. He hadn't noticed our approach yet, so I stopped a moment to study him.

He looked very old. The Billy in my memory was younger, thinner, and more vibrant. His age and loss of mobility had caused him to gain a sizable potbelly. His russet skin was wrinkled and sagged slightly around his jawline. I tried to reconcile the two images of the same man in my mind. Everybody around me seemed to be getting older.

But not Edward. He would never get older.

I shook my morbid thoughts from my mind and got out of the car. Quil and Embry followed suit, engaging in a little roughhousing as they argued over who would get to sit up front next time. The noise drew Billy's attention and he smiled in their direction.

Then he spotted me.

I was glad that Quil and Embry were too distracted by their quarrel to notice the look of utter shock that graced Billy's face. I knew that they would only ask questions that we didn't want to answer. Billy quickly rearranged his expression into one of pleasant acknowledgement, but he couldn't hide his penetrating curiosity from me.

"Hey, Billy!" Quil called out with easy familiarity. "You think you can whip up some extra burgers for Bella?"

Billy nodded, wheeling himself inside the house. I guessed that he was grateful for the chance to regain his composure.

"Hey, Jacob! You'll never guess who's here!" Embry shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. He was staring into a stand of trees and bushes just behind the house. There was a faint outline of a dirt pathway that led from a small gap in the trees to the back entrance of Billy's house. I assumed there was some sort of garage back there. The ground looked treacherous, so I was pretty sure Billy couldn't navigate it in his wheelchair. Jacob probably went back there to get some privacy.

Perfect.

I peered into the shrubbery, looking for some sign of life. I wasn't disappointed. After a moment, Jacob emerged from the trees. He wore a bright red t-shirt and blue jeans. His hair tumbled down past his shoulders in slightly messy waves.

Seriously, what was up with this t-shirts in January trend?

Jacob brushed a hand through his tousled hair as he walked towards us. His hands were greasy and stained with oil, and I shuddered at the thought of how long it would take to wash that out. Having long hair has its downsides.

He suddenly froze in place as his eyes finally zeroed in on me, then he grinned broadly and began to jog over. The excessive joy he obviously felt at seeing me made me feel guilty. I wished I'd come back sooner.

"Bella! Hey! What's up?" he asked in a rush as he stood before me, looking down and grinning.

I nearly gawked at how much he had grown. He was over six feet when I left, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was six and a half by now.

What was going on?

Of course, I couldn't let anyone know what I was thinking, so I just grinned back and said, "You tell me. You probably have a better view from up there."

He laughed, and the sound was much deeper than I remembered. Still, I couldn't help but smile. That sound seemed to brighten the day. "Yeah, I _thought _you looked a lot shorter than before."

I gave him a playful smack in the gut. "Watch it, Sunshine. I'm not short; I'm average. _You're _the giant here."

He laughed again, and I decided it was one of the best things I'd heard in months.

"So, what are you doing here? Not that you can't drop by whenever you want. It's just that…" he trailed off, embarrassed.

I shrugged. My neck was starting to ache from looking up at him, but I didn't want to move back. It would be rude. "I just got back into town, and I realized I have no food at the house, so I came to mooch some hotdogs out of your dad."

Jacob looked confused for a second, but then Billy rolled back outside, carrying a half-empty package of wieners. "Need some help, dad?"

"No, I got it," Billy replied gruffly, wheeling himself back over to the barbeque. He added the extra wieners and went back to flipping the burgers with his spatula. "So, Bella," he began, "is _everyone _back?"

It didn't take a mind reader to guess who Billy was referring to.

"Nope, haven't seen the Cullens in months," I said as nonchalantly as possible. I was getting better at this.

"Oh?" he asked, like he wasn't sure whether or not to believe me. "Then, where'd you take off to?"

"I decided to go on a road trip. You know, just doing odd jobs around the country." I didn't know exactly how much Billy knew about the Supernatural world, but I figured he would get the hint.

"Oh!" he replied, a little startled. "You're being careful, of course, after what happened to Renée…" He drifted off and continued flipping burgers.

"Who's Renée?" Embry asked, confused.

Jacob gave him a look that clearly stated he should keep his mouth shut, but I answered him.

"She was my mom. She died a few months ago, while on the job."

Embry's eyes widened. "Geez, I'm sorry!"

I gave him a small smile. "No sweat. I'm cool with it."

There was a short, uncomfortable silence. To my relief, Billy broke it by announcing that dinner was ready. The three boys and I quickly began stuffing our faces. I knew that teenaged boys ate a lot, but after Jacob went back for his fourth hotdog and fifth hamburger, I began to get suspicious again. I had downed three hotdogs, and I was already feeling full. Wasn't it unhealthy to eat so much meat so quickly? Wasn't Billy worried about that?

"Slow down, Jacob," Billy warned, "If you keep that up, you're gonna pop."

Jacob shrugged and stuffed half his hotdog into his mouth. After he finished it, he whined, "Sorry, dad, but I'm starving!"

I gave Billy the faintest look of suspicion before I stood up to throw my paper plate into the garbage.

"You done already, Bella?" Jacob asked with surprise.

I smirked at him. "This may come as a shock to you Jacob, but even _I_ like to limit my chances of having a coronary."

He snorted and reached for another hamburger. I wandered into the kitchen and stuffed my plate into the wastebasket. At the same time, I gave the interior of the house a once-over, looking for anything suspicious.

_Maybe, _I thought doubtfully, _Jacob will eat some bad meat and get food poisoning_. That would explain my vision of him writhing in pain. Salmonella was _not fun_.

However, that didn't explain the part about the red and white figure blurring through the forest, nor of Laurent, James's ex-flunky, standing in the middle of a field with the dark burgundy eyes of a hungry, human-eating vampire.

_Vampire._

_A figure blurring through a forest, with white skin and red hair. Red like…_

_Victoria's._

I almost smacked myself.

"How could I be so stupid?" I wondered aloud.

Of _course_ Victoria was still hanging around. I'd killed her mate just a few months ago. Why didn't I _think?_ I suppose with all the fuss made over James's abilities as a Tracker, the female vampire had just slipped my mind.

_Okay,_ I thought, trying to clear everything up, _so Victoria and Laurent are back in Forks. They may even be responsible for the deaths in Seattle. _Still they didn't seem like a likely team. Laurent had left James's Coven easily enough when things got too hot for him. So why would he be working with Victoria?

_Because he's afraid of her_.

There was the answer. Laurent had struck me as kind of a weakling, whereas Victoria probably resembled her mate in terms of sadism. It wouldn't take much to convince the coward to help her deal with this one, little human, especially since her vampire "protectors" were gone…

_But what about Jacob?_

I froze in horror. There was only one thing I could think of that could tie those three together.

One of them was going to bite Jacob.

With that thought, the bare light bulb above me shattered and rained glass down onto the floor.

"Damn it!" I cursed, looking around widely for a broom and dustpan. I was just glad I was wearing shoes. I spotted a closet and open the door, revealing the required cleaning accessories, as well as a fresh bulb. I wondered how long it would take for the others to notice my extended absence.

I hastily swept the broken glass into the dustpan and dumped it into the garbage, covering the shards with some used napkins. Then I carefully unscrewed the obliterated light bulb and tossed that in as well. Finally, I screwed in the new one, cursing again as the light came on and blinded me momentarily. I always forgot to switch off the light before I did that.

When everything looked normal, I made my way back outside.

"Hey, Bella, what took you so long? We were about to call in a search party!" Jacob shouted jovially as I reappeared.

I rolled my eyes at him. "I just went to the bathroom, Sunshine. No need to worry your pretty little head over me."

Quil and Embry laughed in response, and even Billy cracked a smile. Jacob just smiled and shook his head.

I checked my watch and squinted as a headache started to build up again. Not a vision one, thank goodness. "Hey, listen guys, it's been fun, but I've still got some unpacking left to do back home."

"Unpacking?" Jacob asked. "So, you're staying?"

His hopeful, puppy-dog eyes only served to make me feel more guilty. If he got hurt because some monster was after me…

"For a few months, at least," I reassured him. "And don't think this is the last time I'll come over to mooch some food off you guys."

"You're welcome anytime, Bella," Billy said.

I smiled at him in response, and then headed for my car. "Quil, Embry, you guys need a ride?"

"Naw, we're good, thanks!" Embry called back.

"See you soon, Bella!" Quil added.

I waved back to them as I got into my car to drive home.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Well, there you have it. Chapter twenty-three of _Hunter_ is now complete. And with its addition, the word-count for this story will go up to over one hundred thousand. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. I'll try to have the next chapter finished before school lets out…in April! I _love _college!

Phew, I gotta motor. My psychology class starts soon.

Adieu, faithful readers.


	24. Plans

Hunter

Hey, guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to write this, but I had to do a little revising. I think I have a good idea about what's going to happen in the next few chapters now, so don't worry too much. I'll try to get back into the habit of writing every day. The last chapter didn't seem to blow anyone's hair back, so I'll try to make this one a little more interesting.

I've also decided to give myself a little incentive to finish this story. (Seriously, I've been writing this for almost three years now. It's getting embarrassing.) I'm publishing this on August 22nd, which means, starting tomorrow, there are 131 days left until next year. I average 4182 words per chapter. If I write 250-500 words each day, I'll finish a new chapter every 8.3-16.7 days. That equals between 7-15 chapters. That seems reasonable to me. I just have to get off my lazy butt and get to it, starting now.

Without further ado, here's Chapter 24.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HH_

_Bella Colt: Journal Excerpt, October 4__th__, 2010_

_A few days ago I dreamt about a man trapped in his car by some invisible force. As he struggled to get out, his garage began to fill up with toxic fumes, and then he died._

_When I woke up, I didn't know what to think. I wrote down the car's licence plate number, remembering that it had Michigan and Great Lakes inscribed on it, and then I grabbed my coat and headed out._

_The drive took hours. I called in the plate number and got a name, Jim Miller, and an address. My head was pounding as I drove up to the house. A police car was already stationed outside._

_I was too late. The paramedics were already taking away the body._

_It was like that vision of Waylon, only it was worse. I couldn't get the image of Jim's blank eyes out of my head. At least with Waylon, I hadn't seen all the gory details._

_I stuck around, visited the family. Jim's wife, Alice Miller, (I nearly flinched when she introduced herself. Why isn't this getting any easier?), seemed kind, but strangely fragile, even for a woman who just lost her husband. (I realized in retrospect that she was exhibiting the signs of hyper-vigilance.) Her step-son, Max, was the same way. Very quiet, small and frail. He was vaguely handsome in a way, with curly blond hair and grey eyes. He seemed to like me a little bit, but he was too lost in his own pain._

_I inspected the house, looking for any signs of poltergeists, or hex bags. I checked the weather forecast to see if any strange storms had popped up recently. There was nothing._

_I almost gave up, and then I had another vision. In it, Roger Miller, Jim's brother, ended up getting decapitated by a window slamming down onto his neck. I raced over to his house to try and help him, but once again, I was too late._

_I didn't know what to think, so I tracked down their old house to see if anything had happened to them before. I spoke to a neighbour and found out that Jim and Roger weren't as squeaky clean as I thought. The neighbour started talking about how, after Jim's first wife died, he took out his anger on his son, Max. "Bruises…broke his arm two times that I know of," he said. After a few visits from the police, the Millers packed up and moved across town to start over._

_Now I had a suspect, but I couldn't figure out how Max – scrawny, watery-eyed, eighteen-year-old Max – could take out two tough guys like his father and uncle. And my visions, what did they mean?_

_I got my answer just a few minutes later, in the form of another vision. In this one, I clearly saw Max threatening his step-mother with a knife. Only…he wasn't touching it. The knife hovered in mid-air, floating closely to Alice Miller's eye. Max was furious, blaming her for never trying to stop them from hurting him. I wished more than ever that I knew how to control my stupid visions, because I didn't want to see what he did to her._

_When I came out of it, I drove back to the Miller house, and this time, thankfully, I wasn't too late._

_I managed to get Max to sit down with me while his step-mother waited upstairs. I tried to convince him that she didn't deserve to die, but he was relentless. He sat there, twirling a letter-opener on a table with his mind. It spun faster and faster the more agitated he became._

"_When my dad used to look at me, there was hate in his eyes…He blamed me for everything; for his job, for his life, for my mom's death!"_

_For some reason, that last part caught my attention, so I asked him why his father blamed him for that._

_He said, "Because she died in my nursery, while I was asleep in my crib. As if that makes it my fault. There was a fire, and he'd get drunk, and babble on like she died in some insane way. He said that she burned up, pinned to the ceiling, and that he saw some dark man with yellow eyes glaring at him from inside the flames. He said that he _knew_ that the man was after me, and that's why mom died, and that's why he hated me!"_

_My mouth dropped open. "Did you say a man with yellow eyes?"_

_Had the demon, Azazel, killed Max's mother? Why would he? What the hell is going on?!_

_I wanted to get up and shake the answers out of him, but I knew I had to be careful. For whatever reason, his telekinesis was a lot stronger and more controlled than mine. It didn't seem to cause him any serious pain either. If I tried to fight him, I would lose._

_He shoved me into a closet and pushed a wardrobe in front of the door. I pushed as hard as I could, but I knew I was stuck. As I stood there, another vision took hold, and I saw Max take a gun and shoot his step-mother right between the eyes. I shook it off and felt my power bubbling beneath the surface. I threw off all my self-imposed restrictions and sent a mental push against the doors. The wardrobe collapsed with a crash and I took off running up the stairs._

_I needed to help Max. I needed to question him more about his mother's death. I needed to try and figure out what Azazel was planning._

_I burst into the room, once again just in time to stop him. I told him that killing his step-mother wouldn't make the fear and pain go away._

_Sadly, he believed me. He turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger._

_I swear on all that is holy, when I get my hands on that yellow-eyed son of a bitch, I am going to make him pay for all the families he's destroyed._

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HH_

Bella's POV

I stared at the journal, curiosity burning me from the inside, but as I reached for it yet again, I felt my headache worsen.

I rubbed my temples in response. "If this is my mind's subconscious way of telling me that I don't want to read Renée's journal, you can save me the headache. I already know that."

Silence was my only answer. Without Ruby around, I had no one to comment on my random thoughts. And she would be out for a few more days at least. Maybe even weeks. It was moments like these that made me realize just how alone I really was. There weren't many Hunters I could turn to, and that list seemed to grow shorter every day. I gave my cell phone a mournful look. I knew Jo and Ellen were on a Hunt together. Bobby couldn't spare too long to talk, not when he had to field calls by nosy police officers. He was the ultimate alibi, but otherwise, he was still just a grumpy, middle aged man.

I knew who I really wanted to talk to, but there was no way to get in touch with any of them. Edward had made sure of that.

Did he miss me? Probably not. He was over a century old. What were a few months to an immortal? Eventually time would cease to matter to him. Years would go by like seconds, and our time together would become just an unusual moment in his extremely long life.

Didn't matter to me though. I was patient. I'd see him in hell, even if I had to break into heaven and drag him down into the depths with me. That would teach him not to mess with me.

"You're losing it, Bella," I said, just to reassure myself that I could acknowledge how irrational my thoughts were. As soon as I stopped doing that, I would know I was in trouble.

I glanced at my mother's journal again, and, with an enormous amount of willpower, I reached for it and began turning the pages.

I stopped once I got to the entries made after I died, and started reading.

I had read these pages before, a dozen times at least, but it never got any easier. Still, it was 12:30 p.m., Monday. Jacob wouldn't be home from school until around three or four. And he probably had homework to do, so it wasn't like I could just drop in on him, even though the offer was on the table. It just seemed kind of sleazy to use him as a surrogate emotional crutch until Ruby got back from Seattle. Besides, if I came on too strongly, he might get the wrong idea.

_Great excuses, Bella. That last one, especially. As if he doesn't _already_ have the wrong idea._

I sighed. I just needed to kill some time, and then I could get back to protecting Jacob from those bloodsuckers. And then…I could leave.

It struck me then that leaving for a second time would be a lot harder if I got too close to Jacob. Ruby was right; sometimes I was too emotional for my own good.

_I need an excuse._

That was it! I just needed some reason to hang around Jacob without making him think I was attracted to him. I needed some project, something that would take a long time to complete, and that I would need his help with.

_Alright, what do I know about him?_

Not much, unfortunately, but I could make a reasonable assumption that he liked fixing cars based on the oil I'd seen on his hands.

I cringed. I couldn't even _think_ about damaging the Metallicar in order to reasonably ask for his help, but what other choice was there?

"Damn it, Bella! You're smarter than that! Now _think!_"

Alright, it didn't have to be a car, but it did need to be something mechanical. It wasn't like I could ask him to paint my house or something, especially when I would be outta here soon enough.

_Forget about the future! Focus on the now!_

I thought back to every interaction I'd had with him, and then I had an idea.

"_Well…he's kind of in a wheelchair now…diabetes and all…"_

I remembered reading something online about pedal-powered wheelchairs. The prototype looked like a combination of a regular wheelchair and bicycle pedals fastened to two steel rods that were attached to the wheelchair's armrests. They were used as rehabilitation aides for people with partial paralysis, like stroke victims. As far as I could tell, they were great for recovering motor function.

I didn't know exactly how advanced Billy's paralysis was, or if he was even paralyzed. Could diabetes cause muscle atrophy? I didn't know. Whatever the reason, I was sure Jacob would be more than willing to help me build one for him. That would kill two birds with one stone. I could keep an eye on Jacob, and repay Billy for letting me mooch off of him.

I smiled. Sometimes, I amazed myself.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HH_

A few hours later, I drove back to the reservation, a stack of diagrams and instructions sitting on the passenger seat. I felt pretty proud of myself. Sure, the wheelchair was just the means to an end, but I'd bet Billy would appreciate it. Being stuck in a wheelchair was a pain; I knew from experience. Having a poltergeist slam a crowbar into your shins was a great way to learn _that_ fun fact. The three weeks of rehab after the casts came off was no picnic either.

It would help him get some exercise too. Sitting down all day got you an express trip to Heart Attack City, and I didn't want to see Jacob lose _both _his parents.

A shadow moved in the tree s on my right and I reflexively glanced over to get a better look.

I slammed on the breaks.

Whatever was in the forest, it was _huge._ I couldn't see anything now, but I trusted my instincts. Whatever I saw easily stood seven feet tall.

_Was it a bear?_ I wondered.

_Probably, now that the Cullens aren't around to-_

_Stop! Thinking!_

I took a deep, slow breath and kept driving. Whatever was out there couldn't be half as bad as what was menacing Seattle. If it did turn out to be something up my alley, I would deal with it.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HH_

Billy was outside barbequing more hotdogs and hamburgers when I arrived. My stomach growled in response. I hadn't eaten all afternoon. I tossed the stack of paper into the backseat and covered it with a blanket to hide it. I wanted to keep this from Billy until I was sure it would work. No sense in getting his hopes up.

"Hey Billy!" I called out, waving at him. "Jacob home yet?"

He twisted around in his chair to look at me and waved his spatula in the air. "Not yet, but he should be here soon."

I smiled crookedly. Perfect. That meant I was expected to make awkward small talk with mom and dad's old drinking buddy.

_Boohoo, I've handled worse things than suspicious parents._

I sat down at the picnic table and glanced around. Jacob's house was so isolated out here. And completely surrounded by trees. It was almost claustrophobic.

Funny, I hadn't felt that way when Jacob was there.

Billy cleared his throat and I looked back at him. "So, Bella, are you here for a job, or is this just a vacation?"

I tensed up minutely. "A job."

"A difficult one?" he continued.

I shrugged, trying not to broadcast any bad feelings. "Don't know yet. I still need to do a little research until I figure out what I'm dealing with."

"And you expect to be out here for a few months at least?"

I gave him a penetrating look. "Yeah, more or less. Like I said, it depends on what I'm dealing with. I can't go on a job with no idea what I'm getting into."

Billy hummed to himself and nodded slowly. "Did you ever find out what killed your mother?"

Well _that_ was not expected.

I sat up straighter. "Yeah, I did."

"And?"

"It's been dealt with."

"Good." He left it at that.

Jacob was certainly taking his sweet time getting home. I was beginning to regret leaving so early. Billy knew about my world, but he wasn't part of it. He was an out-of-context problem. I couldn't treat him like a Hunter, but he wasn't exactly a regular civilian either.

The whole thing just made me anxious.

"You know what the Cullens are, right?"

_Just _had_ to bring them up, didn't you Bill?_

"I know that they're conscientious about not hurting innocent people." _Physically,_ my treacherous mind tacked on. "And I know that if that ever changes, I can stop them if I have to."

_Let _that_ stew in your mind, old man. I'm not above turning on my friends if I deem it necessary, so don't you assume I let them run off to kill a bunch of people. They are _not _like James. And they'll stay that way even if I have to Hunt them down one by one to make sure of it. Don't you even _try_ to imply that I wouldn't do everything possible to protect the human race. I'm the Hunter, not you._

"Would you now?" he asked lightly.

"Yes." I gave him a hard look. His attitude wouldn't shake my resolve. If Edward and his family became a threat, I would handle them.

To be honest, I was probably the only Hunter on the planet who _could_ handle a family of vampires.

_Stop thinking about them._

We sat in an uncomfortable silence for another ten minutes. Billy took the hotdogs off the barbeque and set them on the table in front of me. "Help yourself. Jacob might be a while still."

"Thanks," I said automatically as I untwisted the seal of the hotdog buns and grabbed the ketchup. Having something to do was a welcome distraction from Billy's prying eyes.

I wondered what he was trying to see.

The awkward silence was finally broken by the rumble of an engine. I let out an audible sigh of relief as Jacob, with Quil in the passenger seat, pulled up to the house in a red Volkswagen Rabbit. I hadn't seen it yesterday, but I remembered it from my birthday, all those months ago.

Jacob and Quil seemed subdued as they exited the car. I wondered if they'd noticed me. I checked the backseat of the car, looking for Embry, but he was nowhere to be found. It was strange to see them without the other boy. The discrepancy between Jacob's height and Quil's seemed more extreme without Embry there to balance them out.

"Oh!" Jacob called in surprise, waving. "Hey Bella!"

I waved back mechanically, still puzzling about the missing boy.

"Hey Jacob, Quil. Where's Embry?"

Jacob scowled. "He didn't show up for school today, so we went over to his house. His mom hasn't seen him since this morning. He said he felt sick, so she told him he could take the day off. He must've snuck out while she was at work. Idiot."

"Jacob!" Billy interjected sternly. "Language."

Jacob looked about ready to say something else, but with one quick glance at me, he appeared to change his mind. "Sorry, dad."

I didn't comment, but made a mental note to ask him why he seemed so upset about Embry's little stunt. Wasn't it _normal_ for kids to play hooky once in a while? Maybe it was just because he hadn't invited them.

"So," Jacob began, looking at me, "What are you doing here?" Then he flushed, cringing, "Not that you can't come over anytime. I just didn't think you'd be over again so soon."

"Ha! Real smooth, Jakey," Quil teased. He ducked casually as Jacob took a half-hearted swing at him, and then raced over to the picnic table for some hamburgers.

Kids, man, sometimes I wished I'd had the chance to be like them.

"I was actually hoping Jacob would help me with something. And maybe Quil and Embry too, if you guys are up to it," I explained.

"A damsel in distress!" Quil shouted. He leapt up from his seat impulsively and kneeled down next to me, taking one of my hands in his. "It would be my honour to assist you, fair maiden. And if Sir Embry were present, I am sure he would aid you as well." He planted a kiss on my knuckles, and then winked at me.

I stared at him in bewildered silence for a long moment, and then glanced up at Jacob. "So, is Quil often possessed by the ghost of Sir Lancelot, or should I just smile and back away slowly?" I asked.

Jacob was trying hard to hide his laughter, but he wasn't quite succeeding. Billy cleared his throat, and I saw him trying, and failing, to suppress a smirk.

Jacob finally managed to get a hold of himself and explained, "We're doing Medieval Studies in History class, and Quil is…_really_ getting into it."

Quil jumped to his feet and turned on him, crossing his arms defensively. "What's wrong with that?" he demanded. "Those medieval knights are cool." He spun around to face me again, obvious excitement on his face. "Did you know they started training when they were _seven?_" he asked. "And that squires – that's what they were called before they were knighted – they were expected to fight in real battles when they were only _fourteen?_"

Fourteen, huh? I started fighting in real battles when I was thirteen. And _I_ didn't wear a suit of armour to protect me. Squires were sissies.

"It wasn't just fighting, though. They did lots of other stuff. They had to learn horse-riding and sword fighting, obviously, but they also learned archery and jousting. I mean, there were some lame parts about it. Like, they had to learn manners and crap, and they were basically worked as slaves, always having to cook and wait tables, and mend clothes. I guess that builds character or something. It would still suck, though. But it would be worth it in the end, when they were knighted."

I smiled. Quil's enthusiasm was contagious.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, sure," Jacob grumbled. "Then they took an arrow to the knee and ended up spending the rest of their lives working behind the counter at Starbucks."

Quil rolled his eyes and pointed his thumb at Jacob. "This guy, all he thinks about is fixing cars. He has no ambition, or imagination."

"Oh, I can _imagine_ quite a few things I could do to you, Sir Quil." With that, he managed to get the smaller boy in a headlock and wrenched him a few feet away from me as they started wrestling each other.

Billy rolled his eyes. "Jacob, your dinner's gonna get cold!"

"I only need a few minutes to kill him!" he replied, looking over at his father. Unfortunately for the would-be murderer, his potential victim used this distraction to throw himself against the older boy, knocking him to the ground, and leaving him gasping for air.

Quil stood up triumphantly. "Ha! Can't toss me around so easily anymore, huh, Jakey?"

"Shut up," Jacob replied, finally catching his breath.

"Jacob, Quil, I'm not gonna say it again!"

"We're coming," the boys chimed in together. Quil reached down and hauled Jacob to his feet.

"Nice tackle, by the way. I didn't even see it coming."

"Thanks, I've been practicing on Embry."

I just shook my head. Somehow I figured this wouldn't be the last time those two went at it. They reminded me of…

_Emmett._

Stop _thinking about them!_

I grit my teeth and poured ketchup onto a hotdog. I wished Ruby would hurry up and find out what was terrorizing Seattle so I could go kill the thing and get out of here. It just wasn't healthy for me to stew in my own fury for this long. I needed something to take this _out on!_

_Be patient, Bella. You can handle it._

Luckily, Quil's impromptu knight speech had distracted Billy from asking about what exactly I needed help with. After we finished dinner, and dumped the paper plates in the garbage, Jacob led me down the path to the back of the house where the garage was, with Quil following behind him, in front of me. He kept glancing to the side as if expecting Embry to materialize out of nowhere. I really hoped the kid was alright.

A thought suddenly struck me…

_A flash of red and white, blurring through a forest…_

Would Victoria be brazen enough to sneak into a sick boy's house for a snack?

My hands clenched into fists, and fury began to overtake me. A tree branch above me creaked and groaned before snapping off and nearly collapsing on top of me. I jumped out of the way just in time.

_Dammit, Bella, focus. You've _got _to learn to control yourself better._

"You okay?" Jacob's worried voice shook me out of my self-berating thoughts.

I brush non-existent dust from the sleeves of my leather jacket. "Yeah, no sweat, Sunshine; I'm golden."

Jacob looked at me for a few more seconds before he turned around again. "Come on, it's just back here," he said, pointing to a small, red shack. I followed obediently, wondering if I should go by Embry's place afterwards, just as a precaution. But I didn't know the _way!_ I wished I had driven Embry and Quil home yesterday. Then I would have a better idea. I could just ask for directions, but if he's really missing, they might start to wonder about me.

_If nobody's seen him by tomorrow, I'll ask someone else where he lives, and then I'll check it out._ I started scripting out what I would say to his parents._ He's a friend of mine, (sort of), and I'm just a little worried. He doesn't seem like the kind of kid to just take off, and with all that stuff going on in Seattle…_

Okay, maybe I wouldn't mention Seattle. No need to make anyone worry more than they had to, especially when I didn't know for sure if there was a connection.

_Mom, I wish you were here._

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HH_

So, that's chapter 24. It's a bit longer than usual, I think, but this is mostly a filler chapter. Pretty soon…we're gonna have some fun.

I'm going back to school in a few weeks, so I'll try to have the next chapter up before then.

Adieu, my faithful, patient readers.


	25. Secrecy

Hunter

Hey guys, it's me again. I didn't get as many reviews this time, but it's probably my fault. I _did_ leave a heck of a gap between updates. It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of you had to go back and reread the whole fic just to remember what's going on. (I've had to do that a few times as well). It's hard to believe I started writing this back in 2009. And now it's set in 2011 while now it's 2013. I've officially become one of those writers that everyone hates. Sometimes I wish I had some form of hypergraphia, then maybe I could keep a decent update schedule.

At this point I know I'll be deviating from the canon plot in a lot of ways. I've gotten a few new ideas while I've been sitting in class doing nothing.

Enough of my chit-chat. Let's get to the part of this fic you all want to read. Here's Chapter 25.

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

_Bella Colt: Journal Excerpt, November 6th, 2010_

_I met another psychic kid. Well, two technically, but I only really got to know one._

_It started with a vision. I saw a man – Dr. Jennings, I later found out – walk into a gun shop, load up a shotgun, and kill an employee. He then turned the gun on himself, but the vision panned away before I got a good look at the damage._

_Luckily I managed to get a glimpse of a passing bus from the vision, and traced it back to Guthrie, Oklahoma. I pulled the fire alarm in the gun shop, and that seemed to snap him out of it, but it was all for nothing; Dr. Jennings walked out in front of a speeding bus._

_I couldn't let myself dwell on it for long, though. I had to figure out what had happened. Dr. Jennings had been acting like he was under _hypnosis _or something. I went on Ash's computer to do a little digging, and found out that the good doctor had advised a certain couple to cut off contact from each other._

_A couple with twin boys._

_Born in 1992._

_The same year I was._

_It didn't take too much of a leap of logic to figure out that Dr. Jennings's strange suicide was connected to these boys. I tracked down one of them – Andy Gallagher, the one with the awesome van I'd read about a lifetime ago – and found that he had a psychic ability, just like me._

_Mind control._

_For some reason, though, it didn't seem to work on me, not like Max's telekinesis had. I was reminded of Alexander at the time, but Andy deserves better than to be compared to that fangless freak. I think I can say with total honesty, that Andy is about the nicest, least selfish guy on the planet. He gained the ability to control people's minds, and yet he only uses it to avoid debt collectors, and get the occasional free cup of coffee._

_I don't want to _know_ what most people would do with that kind of power._

_Unfortunately, Andy's twin, Ansem Weams, didn't share his brother's happy-go-lucky attitude. While I was with Andy, I had a vision of him _pushing_ their mother, Holly Gallagher, into covering herself in gasoline and setting herself on fire._

_The guy had issues, is what I'm saying._

_We were too late to save Holly, but we managed to track down Ansem right before he mind-controlled Andy's old girlfriend, Tracey, into jumping off a dam._

_(I was eerily reminded of that day back in Seattle, when I'd used the same name to get into a bar and ended up being targeted by a vampire who I strongly suspect had mind-control powers.)_

_I managed to wrestle the son of a bitch to the ground, so Andy taped his mouth shut. I thought that would stop him, but apparently he had learned how to do his little mind trick even without verbal commands, because Tracey went and knocked me to the ground with a tree branch. Andy used his own mind control to stop her from hitting me again, so Ansem told her to wait by the dam. Andy backed down when Ansem threatened to make her jump._

_Ansem then tried to explain himself, saying that Tracey was trying to come between them, and that they were above everyone else because they could do whatever they wanted. Andy asked why Ansem had killed the doctor, and their mother, and Ansem told him it was because of them that the twins hadn't grown up together._

"_They thought there was something unnatural about us, Andy, when we were together. My dad, _our dad_, told me the whole story. How our mother would have fits if we stared at her at the same time. How our babysitters would go into trances and hurt themselves. One tried to jump off the roof into the kiddie pool because of us." He laughed a little._

_Andy looked horrified. "Because of _you!_ I would never do that to anyone. I would never _hurt_ anyone. What is _wrong_ with you?"_

"_What's wrong with _me?_ They split us up! We could've been together this whole time…instead of alone. I couldn't let them do that. I couldn't let them get away with that."_

"_You're completely insane. You find out you have a brother, you call them up, go out for a beer. You don't start _killing people._"_

"_I wanted to, bro, but He wouldn't let me. He said I had to wait until the time was right."_

"_Who?"_

"_The Man with the Yellow Eyes." I gathered from the way he said it that he expected Andy to know exactly who he was talking about. He meant Azazel. I'm positive._

_Ansem kept talking. "He came to me in my dreams. He told me I was special. He says he's got big plans for me. Wait until you see what's in store for the both of us."_

"_You're insane. This is insane. I want _nothing _to do with you!"_

"_Then say goodbye to Tracey."_

_I felt a headache coming on and managed to lift my head up in time to see Tracey step off the edge of the dam._

_I heard Andy scream, but I was too focussed on the pain, and Tracey. My hand shot out and I made myself _pull. _Granted, it wasn't the most difficult thing I've ever done, but in my defense, I hadn't taken a blow to the head before taking on James. Somehow I managed to knock her back onto solid ground. She lay there on her back, panting and crying. I knew then and there that I didn't have the strength to stop her if Ansem tried again, but Andy didn't give him the chance._

_He grabbed my gun and put a bullet in his brother's head._

_I want to say that I understand why he had to do it. Ansem was as much a monster as any of the other creatures I've killed. I _know _this. There was no way he could be kept alive, not when he could mind control his way out of any prison. He had to die, for everyone's safety. Andy did the only thing he could to protect Tracey._

_I just can't help feeling that this is what Azazel wants._

_I'm not sure what I should do. It's like this demon is playing with all of us – the psychic kids – and the endgame is to leave us broken enough that we're willing to kill. He's already done it to me. After what happened to mom, I was just as much a monster as James. I _tortured him._ I know that he probably deserved it, (Did he? Does anybody deserve what I did to him?), but I keep wondering what would happen if one of us – let's not dance around this for once – if _I_ somehow got it in my head that the only thing I could do to protect the people I care about is to kill anyone who puts them in danger. What if __Ed__-_Alice_ was threatened by some rogue vampire and I used my powers to tear him apart? And what if I really _liked_ that feeling? What if I really liked being that powerful, that dangerous? What if I never wanted it to end?_

_I know it sounds crazy, but sometimes I wish I had never escaped hell. At least then I'd _know_ what I was becoming._

_I just wish there was someone out there who could stop me._

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Bella's POV

We made it all the way to Jacob's garage before I remembered that I'd left the diagrams in my car. I resisted the urge to smack myself in the head, and simply let out a quiet huff of frustration as I took in the dilapidated, red building.

I'd probably spent the night in worse places, but I was still a little unsure if the ceiling would stay where it belonged. If my wheelchair idea didn't pan out, maybe I could volunteer my services and help renovate this thing before somebody needed to be dug out.

The inside was a little more reassuring. One entire wall was lined with a beginning mechanic's _dream_ equipment. There were some tools and half a dozen dirty rags on the floor, but it was obvious that Jacob had placed them there strategically. They were clustered around one of two motorcycles that looked like they'd seen better days, most likely when Billy was still in diapers.

"Pretty cool, huh? I've been restoring them," Jacob said proudly. He hesitated for a second. "Just, don't mention it to dad just yet. He can be a little overprotective, so I kind of want to ease him into the whole idea of me riding one of these death traps."

I laughed. "Your secret's safe with me, Sunshine. I know all about overprotective parents."

"Thanks, Bella. My dad would ground me for life if he found out about them."

"No sweat. Where'd you get them anyway?" I took a closer look at one of the bikes, narrowing my eyes. "Dude! That's a Black Bomber! They came out in, like, the sixties! Where the hell did you score one?"

Jacob grinned. "Found them at a garage sale last week. The other one's a Honda Super Hawk, 1962. The guy selling them said they need some fixing up, and he's too old to ride anymore. He gave me a sweet deal, and I can do the mechanical work myself. So it's a win-win."

"Looks like you've got your work cut out for you. I think they're more rust than metal at this point."

"Just wait," Quil piped up energetically. "Jacob will have these beauties running in under a month. The man is a _wizard_ when it comes to all things mechanical."

"Only if I spend every afternoon on them, plus weekends. And I still need to replace a few parts, so I'll have to wait for allowance day before I do much more to them."

I frowned at this. "How much is your allowance?"

"Twenty bucks a week," he answered.

I felt my lips start to twist and forced myself to repress my smile. If Jacob thought he could repair these two bikes for $100, he needed a serious reality check.

Although…I could use this to my advantage. Jacob would need some extra cash. I _had_ extra cash. I needed to stick close to Jacob, so supervising, and _paying_ for my little project wouldn't seem so strange to him if he thought I was doing it to help support his motorcycle restoration thing.

"I don't think that'll be enough, Jacob, unless you've got some money already saved up?" I knew he didn't, otherwise he wouldn't need to wait until allowance day to buy the parts.

He frowned. "Yeah, I figured. I was thinking about getting a part-time job or something, but dad needs me around the house, and he'd start to wonder where all my paychecks are going."

_Oh, I could not _ask_ for a better segue._

"I might be able to help you out with that. I've saved up quite a bit these past few months."

Jacob looked torn. "I don't wanna take money from you, Bella."

"It won't be taking. It'll be _earning_. I have this idea for a project, but I need some extra mechanical expertise."

His frown softened. Quil looked on, somewhat confused, and sat down on a wooden bench on the wall opposite from us to watch.

"What kind of project?" Jacob asked.

I hesitated a second, wondering if I should have waited until I knew for sure what Billy's condition was like before I opened my big mouth.

_Too late to back out now, Bella._

"Well…I kind of need to know a bit about your dad before we go any further. Why _exactly_ is he in a wheelchair?"

My bluntness took him by surprise. He didn't answer for a few seconds. "Uhh…his diabetes-"

"Yes, you mentioned that, but that's not what I mean. Are his legs paralyzed? Did his muscles atrophy? Was there nerve damage?"

"Nerve damage!" he blurted. He shifted, clearly uncomfortable with my line of questioning, so I gave him a smile, prodding him to continue by nodding. "Uhh, there's this thing that some diabetics get when their glucose levels are too high for too long. Dad's always had trouble with that. I think it's called…diabetic nerve-neuro-something... Neuropathy! Yeah, that's it! The nerves in his feet are damaged. He doesn't technically _need_ a wheelchair all the time, but because he has no feeling left in them he was always hurting himself. One time he broke his toe and didn't even realize it until he looked down and saw it was all purple and swollen, not to mention the time he stepped in some glass-" Jacob cut himself off abruptly.

"Go on," I encouraged.

"Well, after the paralysis hit his ankles, it was just too much effort for him to walk. He was always stumbling over things, or bending his toes the wrong way, and stairs were a nightmare! He tripped on some and nearly cracked his skull open! After that, he just sort of resigned himself. He still tries to walk sometimes, but he gets really tired now."

"His muscles are probably weakening from disuse. Thanks, Jacob. That's just what I needed to know."

"Umm, so what exactly is your idea?"

I outlined my plan, leaving the actual diagrams for later.

"We'd need some way to keep his feet from falling off the pedals, so we'll have to install some straps to keep them secured. He might not have enough strength in his legs at the beginning, so it'll still need to be possible to move and steer with his arms. With that in mind, he'll need some place to rest his legs when he's not pedalling. Keeping your legs like that can cause some pretty uncomfortable cramping if you keep it up all day-"

"Bella," Jacob interjected suddenly. I stopped my monologue, wondering what was wrong.

Nothing, apparently. Jacob was grinning at me, looking positively thrilled.

"You are a genius," he proclaimed without hesitation.

I blinked. "Well, yes, I am, but I'm not the one who came up with the idea of a pedal-powered wheelchair. I just figured it might work for your dad."

"I could kiss you right now for that."

I grimaced, frantically trying to figure out a way to respond to that without hurting his feelings. I figured some humour couldn't hurt. "Please don't," I began, exaggerating my displeasure. "Do you have any idea how many species of bacteria are living in your mouth right now? Over two-hundred. There's an entire _ecosystem_ on your tongue."

Jacob and Quil both laughed, and I let out a silent sigh of relief. "You are something else, Bella," Quil said fondly. "How'd you get so smart?"

"I spent my weekdays ditching school to go to the library and actually _learn things_," I replied flippantly. "Still have some categories of the Dewey Decimal System memorized. 133.1 to 133.9 is where you find the paranormal stuff."

Quil tilted his head. "You believe in ghosts?" he asked.

"I believe in what I can see," I responded, not exactly giving him a clear answer.

"So, if you _saw_ a ghost…?" he prodded.

"I'd probably shoot it."

That set them off laughing again, and I joined in. No need to clarify what type of weapon I'd use, (shotgun filled with rock salt), or that I'd need to dig up a grave to salt and burn the body of the ghost in question to keep it from coming back. Some things were better left unsaid.

It was almost too bad that Jacob didn't know about what was out there. It would be nice to have someone to talk to. But that was just my loneliness talking. Or more likely, my selfishness. Maybe if I wasn't so needy, Ed-

_Okay, this is getting ridiculous. Breakups happen. Who cares if you sometimes thought of him as a way to save yourself from Hell? It's your own fault for being selfish. Just get over it and move on. You can do it. You're a big girl._

My mental pep talk helped steady me a little, but I still couldn't quite think about him without feeling a little sick. Maybe once I got home I would try again. At least then there wouldn't be witnesses if I broke down.

"You know how to shoot a gun?" Quil asked tentatively. "Or are you just being funny?"

This was one of those questions that got me into trouble. If I lied, but somehow ended up in a situation where I had to shoot a gun in front of the people I lied to, (always a possibility in my line of work), then I usually ended up making them feel betrayed, and losing their trust. Luckily, I was dealing with two teenaged boys who didn't completely adhere to their parents' rules, and would more than likely find my unusual talent fascinating more than frightening.

I nodded casually. "Sure, my mom taught me. Well, sort of. I was kind of a natural. I was six years old, my mom showed me how to hold the gun, then she lined up a bunch of cans on a fence and I hit every one of them on my first try." I grinned, remembering the memory with fondness rather than pain. "She was so proud of me."

_I suppose time _does_ heal all wounds. Now, if it would hurry up and start healing the rest of them, maybe I can sleep tonight without dreaming of Hell._

"When you were _six!_" Jacob exclaimed, looking horrified. I realized I'd forgotten my audience. There was a limit to what even teenaged boys could handle. Sure, if I'd said I was twelve or so when I started, they would have been suitably impressed, but now they were giving me the same looks my teachers gave me whenever I mentioned our mother-daughter bonding activities. I bit the inside of my cheek, cursing my stupidity. Now I had to do some damage control, or else be branded a freak…again.

"I was very mature for my age. Besides, we were using blanks, and mom was supervising me the whole time."

"But still…" Jacob trailed off, that concerned look still etched into his face. I hated it when people gave me that look; it just reminded me that my past would never allow me to be normal. Moving from town to town, school to school, spending my free time learning Latin and hand-to-hand combat while other kids had ballet, or sports, or music lessons. I'd never complained at the time – always the good soldier – but more and more I realized just how skewed my perception of _normal_ was.

Sometimes it was just so hard lying to everyone. Maybe that's why I loved being with the Cullens. I didn't have to pretend for them, (well, not as much), and while they may not have truly understood it all, they still accepted me.

I had a sudden, fierce desire to tell Jacob and Quil exactly why I spent my early school years learning how to shoot a gun and studying up on the supernatural. I hadn't had this urge in a while, but it was almost overpowering. I squashed it down forcefully, steadying myself with a deep breath.

"We were living down south at the time. _Loads_ of kids in the neighbourhood went out hunting with their dads. She probably figured if I was going to be surrounded by guns, I should learn to respect them." I shrugged, perfectly nonchalant about the whole ordeal. The boys were still examining me closely, but they seemed a little less tense now. I felt a twinge of guilt and reminded myself that it was my own fault for getting close to them. It was much easier to lie to people when I wasn't emotionally invested. Or at the very least I knew when to keep something private.

That little quirk probably contributed to Abby's contention that I was just an obsessed, revenge-driven sociopath, and just a stone's throw from being a serial killer. But Abby was always kind of a selfish, manipulative bitch, so anything she said had to be taken with a grain of salt.

"Okay, so let's get back on track. The wheelchair, do you think you can do it?" I plastered on a pleading smile and clutched my hands together under my chin. "Your dad will have more mobility, you'll get enough cash to fix your motorcycles, and I'll have something to give him as thanks for putting up with me."

Jacob nodded, grinning. "Yeah, we'll give it a shot. Umm, you'll have to pay for the wheelchair stuff too, though."

"Where are you going to find one?" Quil asked. "And the other stuff, like the pedals and the steering wheel?"

I waved a hand absently. "I'm sure there's someone selling a used one online. And I'm sure I can MacGyver up the rest of it. _I'll_ handle the wheelchair costs, _you_ just be ready to work your butts off. I don't know what kind of condition it'll be in."

"If you're sure." Jacob grinned, obviously picturing the look on his dad's face when he showed him the new wheelchair. Maybe he hoped his dad's gratitude would extend to allowing him to keep his motorcycles as well.

"I'm positive. My dad left me more money than I know what to do with sometimes. It'll be great to know that I'll actually have something to show for it besides crappy motel rooms and second-hand clothes."

Both Quil and Jacob bit their lips at the mention of my dad. Sometimes it was really hard to talk to people about dead parents, even when it had been so long that it didn't affect me so much. I sometimes got choked up thinking about my mom, but with my dad, we had never been all that close. I'd _liked_ him, and we'd gotten along great when we'd been together, but his death hadn't really hurt me too much. It was less like losing a father, and more like losing an uncle I visited once a year. I missed those visits, but I could live without them. Maybe that was cold, more evidence to support Abby's sociopath theory, but I couldn't really miss someone I'd never gotten to know, could I? People died every day, all over the world, some of which I'd spent more time with than my own father. Was it wrong that I didn't spend all day mourning them?

I wondered if I'd been this screwed up before I went to Hell. Or maybe everyone was like that. I wouldn't know. Jacob lost his mom when he was two. Did he spend his days wishing she were alive, or did the idea of a mom just not mean that much to him? At least I remembered what my dad looked like without the help of pictures or home movies.

Maybe I'd ask him in a little while, after I established myself as someone who wasn't going to go on a murder spree. That seemed like the most sensible approach.

I smiled, attempting to ease the tension. "So, I'll do some searching tonight and see if there are any wheelchairs on EBay or something. I've got some diagrams in my car if you wanna take a look at what you'll be doing."

Jacob smiled back. "Great, I'll make sure my dad doesn't see them. Don't want to ruin the surprise."

I punched him lightly on the arm, noting absently that even though it was close to freezing in the shop, the skin under his shirt felt kind of warm. I hoped he wasn't getting sick or something.

I brushed off my worries and swept my hair back behind my ear, letting the stolen heat warm it just a little. "I'll come by tomorrow, wheelchair or not, and maybe we could stop by Embry's place to see what's up."

Quil scowled. "Almost forgot about him. I'll drop by tonight, see if he showed up. If not, we might have to start a search party or something. I'll bet Sam made him do some sort of initiation thing, like cliff-diving or going off the trail in the woods or something."

I froze for a second. "Sam? He was the big guy from the beach, hung out with two other boys? Jared and Paul?"

"Surprised you remembered," Jacob commented lightly, looking just a little bit jealous.

"I have a good memory," I explained offhandedly. "Besides, they kind of weirded me out."

Jacob seemed to brighten when I said that. "Yeah, they've been acting strange for a while now. Always hanging together, matching haircuts and tattoos. If Sam wasn't such a good guy, I'd almost say he was a building a gang or cult."

I made a hmm sound and touch my bottom lip with my finger. "Maybe we should stop by Sam's place too. Just as a precaution."

Quil was quick to defend him. "Sam wouldn't do anything _bad_ to Embry. It's probably just a practical joke. We'll find him."

My eyes narrowed just a bit. "All right," I conceded. "But if he _doesn't _show up by tomorrow, I'm more than willing to help you guys look for him."

Jacob looked a little uncomfortable. "Thanks, Bella, but…we kind of like to deal with things like this on our own."

I was a little hurt, but I ignored that in favour of analyzing what he'd said. "_Things like this_: you mean something like this has happened before?"

Both of them cringed. That was all the answer I needed. "The people who go missing, do they always come back a little strange?"

They both cringed again, avoiding eye contact. "I'm sorry, Bella, but we're really not supposed to mention it to…outsiders." Jacob explained, glancing up for a fraction of a second to catch a glimpse of my reaction between his long bangs.

"I understand," I said coldly, still hurt. "But, Jacob, if something happens, _anything at all_, please don't hesitate to call me. I've seen a lot of strange things in my life, and I don't want anyone to get hurt because you're too afraid to ask for help. I'll talk to Billy tomorrow. See if I can't get this cleared up."

He nodded. "Okay." He looked up at me again. "I'm _really sorry_. It's just not something we're allowed to talk about. The Elders are very secretive sometimes, even with us. _Especially_ with us."

"I know." I smiled gently, hoping to convey that there were no hard feelings. "Sometimes, it's just better for everyone if people live in ignorance."

"You're still gonna hang with us tomorrow, right?" he asked hopefully.

I laughed. "Oh, absolutely! I get free food here."

"I feel so used."

"Suck it up, buttercup."

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

_King:_ _(Somebody mentioned that it's a bit jarring when I switch from the storyline to my notes, so I'm going to add this just to let everyone know when I'm speaking.)_

I'm a bad person. I can't blame anything on the lateness of this chapter except laziness and my new obsessions. My stepdad got us Netflix and I've fallen in love with _Sherlock_. I've been resisting the urge to write a crossover between that and _Criminal Minds_, just because I know if I do, I'll never get this finished.

I mean, _seriously_, what's not to like about that show? It's funny, it's intense, and the episodes are 90 min long. It's like watching a movie every episode, (there's only six so far, but more are on the way.) And Benedict, the guy who plays Sherlock, is _gorgeous! _At first, he just looked kind of odd to me, but then he started _talking! _Oh, dear god, that man has a sexy voice! It's like if Morgan Freeman, Sam Elliot, and James Earl Jones all mixed their voices together to create the ultimate audio-erotica! I would absolutely take him calling me an idiot in that voice with a smile on my face. One of the reasons I watched _Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking_, aside from my growing fascination with physics and astronomy, is because he narrates it! There are episodes on YouTube. Go search for them.

My other obsession, and it's one that I truly hope to inflict on at least some of you, is called _Worm_. It is quite possibly the best superhero/supervillain story I've ever read, and I'm only about half-way through. I found it while browsing TvTropes (Warning, do not search for this site without at least 5-6 free hours in your schedule. Not even joking there. It happens to me all the time.) I started reading a few random chapters, some of which have trigger warnings for death, torture, and really serious bullying, like the kind that put the main character in the hospital. I won't spoil any more. It's so realistically done. It's not just, "I have super powers so I'm going to be a hero and save people all day." It's more like, "I can make dolls come alive, so I'll be a spokesperson for opening stores, or, I can create impossible technology, so I'll try to weasel my way into becoming one of the greatest heroes in the world so people will finally give me the respect I deserve." Or, sadly, "My sister needs an operation, so I'm going to use my ability to walks through walls and rob a bank so I can save her." And finally, "I become stronger the longer I fight, so I'm going to use my power to create the largest gang in town and take over the entire criminal underground." And that's not even counting the Endbringers or the Slaughterhouse Nine. Or Cauldron. The author, Wildbow, has created one of the most unique worlds designed to show exactly what happens when you give a bunch of random people superpowers and then just sit back and watch them try to destroy each other. Wildbow accepts donations towards bonus chapters, all of which are written very promptly, so if you get as into it as I am, feel free to donate. Updates stick very well to a twice a week schedule, barring some unforeseen catastrophe. _Please_ some of you read it. You will not be disappointed. Just Google Worm, Parahumans and it should be the first link that comes up.

I'll stop ranting about writers who are better than me, and just say what I always do.

Adieu, my ridiculously patient readers.

(Also, I'm gonna try to spend a few hours today working on chapter three of _Talent Search._) You may now proceed to squee girlishly.


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